P' 


•  '"/*■ 


COL.  GEORGE  WASHINGTON  FLOWERS 
MEMORIAL  COLLECTION 


DUKE  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARY 
DURHAM.  N.  C. 


PRESENTED  BY 

W.  W.  FLOWERS 


JOSEPH  KJZICKA, 

BOOKBINDERS- 
BALTIMORE, MO   ! 


Digitized  by  tine  Internet  Arciiive 
in  2010  witii  funding  from 
Duke  University  Libraries 


littp://www.arcliive.org/details/battleofyoungsbrOOward 


BATTLE  OF  YOUNG'S  BRANCH : 


OK, 


MANASSAS  PLAIN, 


FOUGHT    JULY    21,    1861. 


WITH    MA  Pi*   OK    VHK   BATTLK   KIEI.U    MADE     BV   ACTUAL  riUKVKV,    AND   TUK   TARIOCS 

POSITIONS  OP  THE  RKGIMENTS      AND    ARTILLKKY    COMPANIES    PLACBD  THRREON, 

•WITH  AK   ACCOUNT  OF    THE     MOVEMENTS    OF    EACH,    PROCLRBD    FROM   THE 

COMMANDING     OFFICER,     OR     AN    OFFICER     OF    THE    REGIMENT.      ALSO, 


AN  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  BATTLE 


ALSO,    THK    JJATTLK    GROUND     OF     THE    18tH    JCLV,    ISOl,    WITH    GENERAL 
BEAURHGARD's   REPORT   OF   SAID  BATTLE. 


By  T.  B.  Warder  &  Jas.  M.  Catlett. 


RICHMOND: 

ENQUIRER  BOOK  AND  JOB  PRESS 

T  Y  L  K  R  ,    WISE,    A  L  L  E  G  R  E    AND    SMITH. 

1862. 


( 


^ 


\ 


? 


H.._«^. 


#-^.....,„„,,j|    1^    -     : 


BATTLE  OF  YOUIG'S  BRANCH : 


OR, 


MANASSAS    PLAIN, 


FOUGHT   JULY   21.   1861. 


WITH   MAPS   OF   THE   BATTLK   FIELD    MADE    BY    ACTUAL    STTRVET,   AND   THE   VARIOUB 

POSITIONS   or   TOB   REGIMENTS    AND    ARTILLKRY     COMPANIES     PLACED   THEREON, 

WITH   AN    ACCOUNT    OF     THE     MOVEMENTS     OF     EACH,     PROCURED     FROM   THE 

COMMANDING     OFFICER,     OR     AN    OFFICER     OF    THE    REGIMENT.      ALSO, 


AN  ACCOUNT   OF  THE   BATTLE. 


ALSO,    THE    BATTLE    GROUND    OF    THE    IStH    JULY,    1S61,    WITH    GENERAL 
BEATJRKGARD'S  REPORT  OF  SAID  BATTLE. 


By  T.  B.  Warder  &  Jas.  M.  Catlett. 


rich:mond^ 

ENQUIRER  BOOK  AND  JOB  PRESS. 

TYLER,    WISK,     4LLE0RE    AND    SMITH. 

18G2. 


^(ci'l. 


THE  FLOWERS  COlUClJL.i       '^'^-^ 

a^'''-    PREFACE,     '^^^'"^'i'-     tri, 

The  object  of  this  work  is  three-fold.  In  the  first  place 
it  is  designed  to  give  the  movements  of  the  two  armies  in 
this  great  battle  with  such  accuracy  as  to  enable  the  pro- 
fessional reader  to  derive  the  instruction  concerning  the 
management  of  troops  when  engaged  in  battle  that  could 
not  be  gained  otherwise  except  upon- the  battle  field;  and 
to  become  acquainted  with  the  manocuvrings  necessary 
to  ensure  success. 

Secondly,  to  excite  a  spirit  of  patriotism  throughout 
the  country  by  attracting  particular  attention  to  the  gal- 
lant bearing  of  our  soldiers  and  their  glorious  achieve- 
ments in  the  great  battle.  And,  third,  by  enabling  each 
soldier  engaged  in  the  battle,  by  recording  his  name  on 
the  page  reserved  for  the  purpose,  and  stating  the  number 
of  his  regiment,  to  have  his  movements  in  the  fight  fully 
explained;  and  the  friend  of  any  soldier,  whether  he  sur- 
vived the  battle  or  fell  in  the  deadly  conflict,  to  obtain 
and  preserve  a  record  of  his  movements -on  that  eventful 
and  memorable  day. 


276169 


THE   BATTLE  OF   YOUXG'S   BRANCH, 
OR  MAXASSAS  PLAIN, 

Fought  July  21,  1861. 

After  the  entire  exhaustion  of  all  the  means  in  the 
power  of  the  slaveholding  States  to  preserve  to 
themselves  an  honorable  peace,  they  find  themselves 
involved  in  war.  The  only  condition  upon  which 
war  could  have  been  evaded  by  them  involved  the 
unconditional  surrender  of  their  sovereignty  and  the 
sacrifice  of  all  the  rights  and  privileges  guaranteed 
to  them  by  the  Constitution  of  their  fathers.  Could 
they  have  preserved  peace  and  evaded  Avar  by  the 
sacrifice  of  these,  (humiliating,  indeed,  the  thought) 
it  would  have  been  but  transient ;  and  the  short 
and  delusive  interval  would  have  been  employed  to 
strengthen  the  arm  of  oppression  and  increase  its 
exactions — whilst  tame  acquiesence,  on  our  part, 
would  have  sunk  us  in  our  own  estimation,  stifled 
the  inborn  spirit  of  our  fathers,  and  rendered  re- 
sistance more  difficult,  success  more  hopeless,  and 
made  peace  to  us  but  another  term  for  vassalage. 

It  is  because  we  are  determined  to  be  free,  the  al- 
ternative of  war  has  been  forced  upon  us.  The  issue 
has  been  joined.  The  God  of  Battles  has  been  ap- 
pealed to  ;   and  the  struggle  for  freedom  is  begun. 

9  7  ^  i  1^  a 


8 

The  great  battle,  that  unerringly  tests  the  relative 
capacities  of  the  t^YO  powers  to  sustain  themselves 
the  unnatural  coniiict  has  been  foudit,  and  we 


m 


derive  therefrom  the  comfortable  assurance  that  the 
result  of  this  battle  clearly  indicates  the  result  of 
the  war. 

It  is  not  contended  that  there  will  be  no  more  bat- 
tles— many  have  since  been  fought  with  like  results 
— or,  that  there  will  be  no  more  so  extensive  and  so 
bloody ;     but,    it   is   contended,    that    the    Battle    of 
Young's    Branch,  or  Manassas  Plain,  has  produced 
such  feeling   throughout  the  two  sections  as  must 
almost    inevitably   result    in    the    final    triumph    of 
the  Cenfederate  States — a  feeling  of  misgiving  that 
greatly  intimidates   the   North,  while   an  increased 
confidence  stimulates  the  South  to  a  more  invincible 
determination    to    prosecute    the    defence.     It    has 
proven  that  the  Federals  do  not  think  they  are  con- 
tending  for   anything  worth   dying   for ;    and,   that 
the  Confederates  know  they  are  fighting  for  every- 
thing dear  to  a  free  people,  and  would  prefer  death 
to  defeat.     And,  what  is  best  of  all,  it  has  proven  to 
both  North  and  South  that  the  Lord  is  on  our  side. 
In  the  war  with  Mexico,  the  battle  of  Buena  Yista 
produced  like  results  to  those  claimed  for  this  battle. 
In  every  subsequent  conflict  betAveen  the  two  armies 
the  Mexicans  seem  to  have  been  overwhelmed  with 
the   conviction    of   their  inferiority — a    conviction 
that  seldom  fails   to  defeat  an  army  before  the  fight 
bec'ins.     Since  the  battle  of  the  21st  of  July,  no 


Federal  army  can  be  brought  into  the  field  which  is 
not  already  defeated  by  a  roisgiving  that  results  from 
a  consciousness  of  the  superior  valor  and  bravery  of 
the  Confederate  troops,  and  the  vastly  superior  skill 
of  our  Generals.  For  this  reason,  we  must  not  expect 
to  bring  them  into  another  battle  with  us,  unless 
this  consciousness  is  overcome  by  assurance  of  very 
superior  advantage  in  some  way  or  other — either  in 
position  or  numbers.  This  battle  has  not  only  accom- 
plished these  important  considerations,  but  it  is  very 
properly  considered  the  greatest  and  most  scientific 
battle  ever  fought  on  the  American  Continent.  It 
is  a  matter  of  general  interest,  therefore,  to  know, 
as  accurately  as  possible,  the  manner  in  which  it  was 
conducted. 

In  order  to  understand  fully  the  movements  of  the 
troops  of  both  armies,  a  survey  has  been  made  and 
the  topography  of  the  ground  on  which  the  fighting 
was  done,  accurately  shown,  and  a  general  map  show- 
ing the  routes  by  which  the  two  armies  marched  to 
the  battle  ground,  that  the  reader  may  have  no  diffi- 
culty in  understanding  their  movements  and  fully 
appreciating  the  skill  by  which  they  were  conducted. 

The  FederpJs  resorted  to  war  to  enforce  their 
authority  over  the  Confederate  States,  relying  upon 
superior  advantages  and  superior  numbers  to  coerce 
us  into  ignoble  submission  to  them.  They  boasted  a 
population  greater  than  that  of  the  entire  South,  in 
the  ratio  of  at  least  three  to  two,  and  the  possession 
of  all  the  means  for  military  operations,  both  by  land 


10 

and  sea,  that   previousl}^  belonged  to  both  sections. 
Having  boldly  proclaimed   their  purpose,  the  first 
object  to  be  attained  was  the  triumphal  march  of  a 
grand    army  through   Virginia    to    Richmond,   and 
thereby   to    obtain    possession   of    the    Confederate 
Capital.     The  point  from  which  this  grand  army  was 
to  march  was  Washington   city  ;   and  the  route  by 
which  it  was  to  march,  the  Orange  and  Alexandria 
and   Central    Railroads.     After   this   vaunting   and 
audacious  declaration  of  their  purpose,  their  failure 
to  move  onward,  under  circumstances  of  so  much 
advantage,  could  be  attributed  to  nothing  but  sheer 
cowardice.     They  could  not  now  be  otherwise  than 
fully   conscious   that   the   e^^es   of    the   world   were 
upon  them,  and  that  upon  their  first  battle  depended, 
to  V.  great  extent,  the  success  of  all  their  efforts  to 
accomplish    their  Avicked   designs  upon  the   South, 
and  they  accordingly  made  the  most  ample  prepara- 
tions for  the  grand  movement.     An  army  sufficient 
in  numbers,  an  abundance  of  the  very  best  artillery, 
together  with   everything   to    render  the  movement 
effectual  tliat   science  and   ingenuity  could   suggest 
and  supply,  were  all  procured  and  placed  at  the  com- 
mand of    one   of    the  greatest   and    most  scientific 
Generals  of  the   age  — General  McDowell.     This  is 
stated  in  reference  to  General  McDowell  without  the 
fear  of  contradiction  ;   and  his  plans  of  operation  in 
this  one  battle  are  relied  upon  to  sustain  the  assump- 
tion, in  the  estimation  of  men  of  judgment,  without 


11 

reference  to  preceding  circumstances  which  secured 
to  him  the  high  and  responsible  post. 

While  this  movement  was  engaging  the  utmost 
exertion  and  skill  of  the  Federals,  the  unpretending 
genius  of  the  Confederate  officers  was  employed  to 
baffle  and  thwart  it. 

While  the  Federals  were  glorying  in  their  exten- 
sive means,  having  all  the  army  and  naval  prepara- 
tions of  the  former  United  States,  carefully  provided 
in  their  palmiest  days,  the  Confederates  Avere  re- 
duced to  circumstances  which  rendered  their  situa- 
tion critical  and  embarrassing  beyond  conception — 
being  cut  oif  from  all  foreign  ports  and  confined  to 
means  only  within  their  own  limits,  with  all  the  im- 
portant forts  and  arsenals  therein  in  the  hands  of 
the  enem^^  It  is  much  doubted  whether  a  nation 
ever  w^as  driven  to  the  alternative  of  war  Avith  so 
great  a  disparity  of  munitions. 

Gen.  G.  T.  Beauregard  was  appointed  to  conduct 
this  defensive  movement  along  the  Potomac.  His 
sagacity  soon  led  him  to  select  Manassas  Junction 
as  the  centre  of  his  operations.  Perceiving  clearly 
the  grand  army  from  Washington  could  not  proceed 
well  towards  Richmond,  without  securing  the  use  of 
the  Railroad,  by  which  to  forward  its  supplies,  he 
at  once  addressed  himself  to  the  ample  fortifica- 
tion of  this  place,  so  as  to  be  able  to  hold  it  with  the 
small  force  at  his  command  as^ainst  threat  odds.  His 
force,  at  first  very  small,  was  also  undisciplined. 
And  to  work  them  upon  the  fortifications,  conflicted 


12 

very  much  with  their  preparation  for  service  in  the 
field.  To  obviate  this,  he  called  upon  the  citizens  of 
the  surrounding  country,  for  hands  to  work  on  the 
fortifications,  and  thereby  was  enabled  to  relieve  the 
soldiers  to  considerable  extent,  and  afford  them 
opportunity  for  drilling.  Companies,  regiments  and 
brigades  arrived  at  this  point  with  encouraging 
rapidity;  some  with  arms  and  many  without  them. 
Where'  arms  and  ammunition  were  obtained  for 
many  of  the  men,  the  writer  has  not  yet  learned ; 
for  having  been  at  Manassas,  four  days  before  the 
battle,  he  saw  within  the  camp,  companies  of  men  for 
whom  arms  had  not  yet  been  procured. 

About  this  time  it  was  understood  that  Colonel 
Patterson,  who  was  in  command  of  a  strong  division 
of  the  Federal  army,  in  the  vicinity  of  Martinsburg, 
high  up  on  the  Potomac,  had  suddenly  withdrawn 
from  that  point,  in  the  direction  of  Washington,  as  if 
to  join  McDowell.  (This  was  afterwards  understood 
to  be  the  fact,  in  relation  to  his  movement,  and  Pat- 
terson was  severely  censured  by  the  Federal  press, 
for  not  being  present  with  his  command  in  this 
battle). 

Gen.  Johnston,  who  was  in  command  of  the  Con- 
federate army  at  Winchester,  and  who  was  watching 
the  movements  of  Patterson,  and  trying  to  bring  him 
to  a  fight,  was  too  sagacious  not  to  perceive  at  once 
the  object  of  his  secret  withdrawal,  and  immediately 
took  steps  to  counteract  any  effect  produced  by  a 
junction  of  his  forces  with  McDowell's,  by  ordering 


13 

his  command  at  once  to  Manassas,  in  aid  of  Gen. 
Beauregard. 

Gen.  Johnston,  therefore,  and  a  portion  of  his 
command,  had  arrived  at  Manassas  before  this  bat- 
tle, but  a  portion  were  detained  on  the  route,  by  a 
collision  of  trains   on  the  road. 

Thus  stood  affairs  as  the  grand  army  of  the  Fed- 
erals was  niaking  demonstrations  in  the  direction  of 
Manassas. 

Attention  is  now  directed  to  the  general  map 
which  exhibits  Manassas — the  road  from  this  place 
to  Centrcville,  by  MitchelPs  Ford — and  Bull  Run, 
from  Sudley  to  McLean's  Ford.  This  much  of  the 
country  is  considered  enough  for  the  object  in  view. 
All  else,  for  prudential  reasons,  being  designedly 
omitted. 

Gen.  McDowell's  first  plan  Avas,  to  march  on 
Manassas,  either  by  Mitchell's  and  Blackburn's  Fords, 
or  the  crossings  below  them. 

Gen.  Beauregard,  with  peculiar  astuteness,  had 
ascertained  this,  and  prepared  to  make  his  passage 
of  this  stream,  at  any  of  these  points,  as  difficult  as 
possible,  and  to  contest  his  progress  over  every  inch 
of  ground,  from  any  point  or  points,  at  which  he 
might  effect  a  crossing,  to  Manassas. 

Slight  reconnoissances  and  small  demonstrations 
satisfied  McDowell  he  v/as  anticipated,  and  caused 
him  to  change  his  plan.  His  demonstration  on 
Mitchell's  and  Blackburn's  Fords  on  the  18th,  three 
days  before  this  battle,  was  subsequent  to  the  purpose 


14 

to  change  his  plan,  and  must,  therefore,  have  been  a 
deception,  to  induce  Gen.  Beauregard  to  believe  his 
design  was  to  make  his  strong  effort  to  effect  a 
crossing  at  these  fords,  and  thereby  induce  him  to 
concentrate  the  main  body  of  his  troops  at  these 
points,  whilst  he  (McDowell)  would  effect  a  crossing 
higher  up  the  stream. 

The  abandonment  of  his  first  purpose,  and  the 
adoption  of  his  second,  evinces,  in  Gen.  McDowell,, 
much  that  constitutes  the  great  General,  and  entitles 
him   to   all  that  is  claimed  for  him  in  this  sketch. 

His  second  plan  was  as  follows : 

The  fifth  division  of  his  grand  army,  composed  of 
at  least  four  brigades,  under  command  of  Gen.  Miles, 
was  to  remain  at  Centreville,  in  reserve,  and  to 
make  a  false  attack  on  Blackburn's  and  Mitchell's 
Fords,  and  thereby  deceive  Gen.  Beauregard  as  to 
his  intention.  The  first  division,  composed  of  at 
least  three  brigades,  commanded  by  Gen.  Tyler,  was 
to  take  position  at  the  Stone  Bridge,  and  feign  an 
attack  upon  that  point.  The  third  division,  com- 
posed of  at  least  three  brigades,  commanded  by 
Heintzelman,  was  to  proceed  as  quietly  as  possible 
to  the  lied  House  Ford,  and  there  remain,  until  the 
troops  guarding  that  ford  should  be  cleared  away. 
The  second  division,  composed  of  three  or  four 
brigades,  commanded  by  Hunter,  was  to  march, 
unobserved  by  the  Confederate  troops,  to  Sudley, 
and  there  cross  over  the  Run  and  move  down  the 
stream  to  the  Red  House  Ford,  and  clear  away  any 


15 

troops  that  might  be  guarding  that  point,  when  he 
was  to  be  joined  by  the  third  or  H^intzehnan's  di- 
vision. Together,  these  two  divisions  were  to  charn-e 
upon,  and  drive  away,  any  troops  that  miglit  be 
stationed  at  the  Stone  Bridge,  when  Tyler's  division 
was  to  cross  over  and  join  them,  and  thus  produce 
a  junction  of  three  formidable  divisions  of  the  grand 
army  across  the  Run,  for  offensive  operations  against 
the  forces  of  Gen.  Beauregard,  which  he  expected 
to  find  scattered  along  the  Run  for  seven  or  eiHit 
]iiiles — the  bulk  of  them  being  at  and  beJow 
Mitchell's  Ford,  and  so  situated  as  to  render  a  con- 
certed movement  by  them  utterly  impracticable. 

The  merest  glance  at  this  plan  of  McDowell, 
wholly  unknown  to  Gen.  Beauregard,  makes  one 
almost  tremble  for  the  fate  of  his  little  army,  and 
makes  it  difficult  to  realize  that  he  could,  and  did,  per- 
ceive it  in  time  to  thwart  it. 

All  the  information  in  relation  to  McDowell's 
plan  and  movements,  is  derived  from  the  official 
reports  of  himself  and  officers.  By  these  we  also 
learn  that  each  division  of  the  grand  army  was  well 
supplied  witli  fine  cavalry  companies  and  an  abun- 
dance of  the  finest  artillery  ever  taken  upon  the  field; 
that  his  gr;ind  array  was  to  be  in  motion  at  2 
o'clock,  A.  M.,  of  the  21st,  and  en  route  for  their 
different  positions  in  time  to  reach  them  and  be  in 
position  by  the  break  of  day.  Also,  that  they  had 
four  days  rations  cooked  and  stored  away  in  their 
haversacks— evidently   for  the   purpose   of  gaining 


IG 

Manassas,  and  liolding  it,  until  their  supplies  should 
reach  them  by  the  railroad  from  Alexandria.  Thus 
stood  the  arrangements  and  plans  of  the  grand  army 
on  the  evening  preceding  the  battle  of  the  21st. 

As  before  stated,  General  Beauregard  had  been 
anticipating  his  march  on  Manassas  by  the  lower 
routes  fi'om  Washington  and  Alexandria  in  that  di- 
rection, and  had  previously  learned  from  his  move- 
ments that  such  was  certainly  his  purpose.  But  that 
he  had  abandoned  this  plan  and  resolved  upon  turn- 
ing his  left  flank  by  the  plan  above  stated,  he  must 
have  been  wholly  ignorant,  as  it  was  but  a  few  hours 
before  the  battle  that  General  McDowell  communi- 
cated this  to  his  most  trusty  officers.  This  appears 
from  Barnard's  official  report.  General  Beauregard 
was,  therefore,  compelled  to  await  the  development 
of  his  plans  by  his  movements  on  the  morning  of  the 
battle.  And  had  he  not  known  the  unholy  designs 
of  the  Federals  upon  the  South,  which  clearly  indi- 
cated a  defiance  of  God  and  contempt  for  His  holy 
commandments,  there  would  have  been  religious  ser- 
vice in  nearly  all  his  camps,  and  his  men  allowed  to 
rest,  both  from  the  duties  of  the  camps  and  the  tur- 
moils of  the  battle  on  that  holy  Sabbath,  selected  by 
an  infidel  foe,  for  an  attack  upon  a  CJiristian  people. 

In  his  entire  ignorance  of  the  enemy's  plan  of 
attack.  General  Beauregard  was  compelled  to  keep 
his  army  posted  ^along  the  stream  for  some  eight  or 
ten  miles,  while  his  wily  adversary  intended  to  de- 
velope  his  purpose  to   him  by  concentrating  those 


formidable  divisions  of  liis  army  in  rear  of  his  left 
flank  before  the  morning  sun  should  unveil  a  single 
movement.  And  still  under  the  impression  that 
McDowell  intended  to  march  by  the  lower  fords,  he 
kept  the  principal  body  of  his  troops  below  and  near 
Manassas.  But  in  order  to  prevent  a  surprise,  by  a 
change  of  the  enemy's  plans,  he  took  the  precaution 
to  deploy  a  portion  of  his  troops  in  the  direction  of 
Sudley.  "^ 

Colonel  Robert  T.  Preston,  in  command  of  the  28th 
Virginia  Regiment,  was  sent  on  picket  duty  in  the 
direction  of  Cub  Run  Bridge.  Colonel  J.  B.  Strange, 
in  command  of  the  19th  Virginia  Regiment,  was  sta- 
tioned at  Levr^is's  Ford.  Colonel  Eppa  Hunton,  in  com- 
mand of  the  8th,  and  Colonel  William  Smith,  in  com- 
mand of  the  49th  Virginia  Regiments,  were  on  the 
Lewis  Hill,  in  proximity  to  the  two  fords — Lewis's  and 
Ball's.  Colonel  J.  B.  E.  Sloan,  in  command  of  the  4th 
South  Carolina  Regiment,  and  Major  Vf  heat,  in  com- 
mand of  a  Battalion  of  Louisiana  Volunteers,  with 
Latham's  Battery,  all  commanded  by  Colonel  Evans, 
were  stationed  on  the  Vanpelt  Hill,  commanding  the 
Stone  Bridge,  and  two  companies  of  the  2d  Mississippi 
Regiment  were  deployed  as  pickets  in  the  direction  of 
Sudley.  These  were  the  relative  positions  of  the 
two  armies  on  the  morning  of  the  21st  July,  1861. 

Attention  is  now  directed  to  the  map  of  the  battle 
field. 

Before  2  o'clock,  A.  M.,  the  grand  army  was 
aroused  and  ordered  to  be  ready  to  march  at  that 


18 

hour.  It  was,  however,  much  regretted  hy  General 
jMcDowell  and  some  of  his  officers  that  the  road  at 
Centrcville  was  so  blocked  up  by  the  vast  columns  of 
his  troops  as  to  delay  their  forward  movement  until 
the  Sunday  morning  sun  developed  to  the  Confede- 
rate Generals  the  direction  of  their  march.  Hun- 
ter's Division,  which  was  to  have  been  at  S'udley  by 
the  break  of  day,  did  not  get  there  until  half-past 
nine.  Tyler's,  which  was  to  have  been  at  the  Stone 
Bridge  before  day  and  quietly  av.aiting  day  break  to 
make  a  feint  upon  the  troops  at  that  point,  so  as  to 
hold  their  attention  until  Hunter  should  attack  them 
in  their  rear,  did  not  reach  that  point  until  half-past 
six.  Heintzelman's  Division,  which  was  to  reach 
the  Red  House  Ford  by  day  break,  found  no  road 
leading  in  that  direction,  and  followed  Hunter  on  to 
Sudlcy  and  reached  that  point  at  eleven. 

On  ascertaining  that  the  enemy  was  marching  to 
his  left,  General  Beauregard  despatched  Generals 
Bee  and  Bartow,  v>dth  their  respective  commands,  in 
the  direction   of  Sudley  quite  early  in  the  morning. 

Colonel  Robert  T.  Preston  withdrew  his  regiment 
from  the  vicinity  of  Cub  Run,  where  he  had  been 
stationed  the  preceding  niglit,  to  Ball's  Ford,  to 
guard  that  crossing.  Cannonading  and  skirmishing 
commenced  quite  early  in  the  morning.  Two  of  the 
enemy's  batteries  opened  on  Mitchell's  and  Black- 
burn's Fords,  and  two  upon  the  Stone  Bridge  and 
Lewis's  Ford,  sending  all  kinds  of  deadly  missiles  at 
the  men  on  guard  at  those  places.     For  the  purpose 


19 

of  ascertaining  the  point  on  which  the  enemy  de- 
signed marching  his  main  force,  General  Beauregard 
had  given  orders  to  his  men  to  keep  concealed  at  the 
several  points,  and  not  to  return  his  fire  until  he 
arrived  within  a  certain  distance,  except  at  Lewis's 
Ford,  where  two  guns  of  Latham's  Battery  and  two 
of  Rogers's  took  position  and  returned  his  fire  quite 
early  in  the  morning. 

From  the  top  of  the  Vanpelt  Hill,  Colonel  Evans 
observed  Hunter's  Division  marching  in  the  direc- 
tion of  Sudley,  between  eight  and  nine  o'clock,  with 
evident  intention  of  flanking  him,  whereupon  lie  with- 
drew his  force  from  the  Yanpelt  Hill,  after  deploying 
three  companies  to  protect  the  bridge,  and  took  posi- 
tion at  the  Pittsylvania  House  ;  from  which  position 
he  could  protect  both  the  Red  House  Ford  and  the 
Stone  Bridge.  By  this  time  the  commands  of  Gene- 
rals Bee  and  Bartow  had  arrived  at  the  Lewis  Farm, 
and  slight  skirmishing  announced  the  arrival  of 
Hunter  in  the  direction  of  Sudley. 

General  Bemiregard  was  now  compelled  to  resort 
to  means  to  check  him  until  he  could  ascertain  his 
force  and  still  further  development  of  his  purpose, 
it  not  being  yet  certain  upon  what  point  the  enemy 
would  direct  the  bulk  of  his  army. 

Of  the  commands  of  Bee  and  Bartow,  the  4th 
Alabama,  commanded  by  Colonel  Jones,  the  8th 
Georgia,  by  Colonel  Gardner,  the  2d  Mississippi, 
commanded  by  Colonel  Falkner,  were  ordered  to 
march  toward  the  Matthews  House,  and  the  balance 


21) 

of  these  brigades  ordered  to  the  Sudley  Road  in  the 
direction  of  the  Henry  and  Stone  Houses.  The 
two  guns  of  Latham's  hattery  were  ordered,  one  to 
a  position  North  of  the  Turnpike  Road,  opposite  the 
Robinson  House,  and  the  other  to  a  point  on  a  hill 
Nortli  of  the  Stone  House,  near  the  point  of  the 
nearest  woods,  to  said  house.  Imboden's  Battery 
took  position  to  the  right  and  North  of  the  Henry 
House,  and  two  pieces  of  the  Washington  batter}^  to 
the  right  of  Imboden's.  Colonel  Evans  threw  the 
4th  South  Carolina  and  Major  Wheat's  Battalion 
near  the  Sudley  Road  and  Southw^est  of  the  Mat- 
thews House.  The  Regiments  of  Bee  and  Bartow's 
commands,  with  the  4th  Alabama  in  front,  had  not 
quite  reached  the  Matthews  House  wdien  Hunter, 
with  at  least  two  Brigades  of  his  Division,  made  his 
appearance  in  line  of  battle  on  the  hill  just  above  the 
Matthews  House.  A  fierce  engagement  immediately 
ensued  ;  the  4th  Alabama,  8th  Georgia,  4th  South 
Carolina,  and  2d  Mississippi  Regiments,  and  Wheat's 
Battalion,  beinc;  the  whole  of  the  Confederate  Infan- 
try  in  the  engagement,  against  at  least  two  of  Hun- 
ter's Brigades  at  first,  soon  joined  by  the  balance  of 
his  Division,  making  the  disparity  of  forces  in  favor 
of  the  enemy  at  least  four  or  five  to  one,  the  dis- 
parity of  artillery  in  his  favor  being  still  greater. 
Yet  this  little  band  of  men  stood  their  ground  without 
yielding  an  inch  for  more  than  an  hour  against  such 
tremendous  odds.  And  though  volley  after  volley  of 
leaden  hail  Avas  poured  upon  them,  they  wavered  not, 


21 

but  stood  as  a  wall  of  adamant,  until  Heintzelman 
appeared  upon  tlieir  left,  and  two  Brigades  of  Tyler's 
Division,  who  had  found  the  Red  House  Ford  un- 
guarded, and  crossed  over  and  taken  possession  of 
the  Pittsylvania  Hill,  on  their  right,  made  it  neces- 
sary, in  order  to  avoid  being  entirely  cut  off,  to  fall 
back,  which  they  did,  leaving  many  of  their  gallant 
comrades  killed  and  wounded  behind  them.  Anion": 
these  were  Colonel  Gardner,  Colonel  Jones  and  Major 
Wheat,  all  supposed  to  be  mortally  wounded.  Their 
retreat  was  exceedingly  awful.  They  fell  back  in 
the  direction  of  the  Robinson  House  under  the  fires 
of  Hcintzelman's  Division  on  one  side,  Keyes'  and 
Sherman's  Brigades  of  Tyler's  Division  on  the  other, 
and  Hunter's  Division  in  their  rear,  and  were  com- 
pelled to  engage  the  enemy  at  several  points  on  their 
retreat,  losing  both  officers  and  men,  in  order  to 
keep  them,  from  closing  in  around  them.  Had  they 
not  been  equal  to  the  best  regulars  the  world  ever 
savr,  no  man  of  them  could  have  been  rallied  after- 
wards. But  Avith  few  exceptions  they  preserved  good 
order,  and  by  hard  skirmishing  stayed  the  flanking 
columns  of  the  enenn;,  made  good  their  retreat  and 
formed  again  into  line  of  battle  immediately  in  the 
rear  of  the  Robinson  Hill,  and  did  valuable  service 
on  other  parts  of  the  field. 

This  retreat  on  the  part  of  our  troops,  under  cir- 
cumstances that  would  have  driven  the  enemy  in 
consternation  from  the  field,  as  the  sequel  will  abun- 
dantly prove,  seems  to  have  inspired  him  with  the 


22 

idea  that  he  liad  obtained  a  glorious  victory,  and  of 
course  his  troops  were  greatly  encouraged  by  the 
anticipation  of  an  easy  march  on  Manassas.  Ilis 
purpose  was  now  fully  comprehended  by  General 
Beauregard,  who  at  once  despatched  couriers  below 
for  as  many  troops  as  could  be  spared  with  impunity 
from  those  points.  General  Jackson's  Brigade  had 
been  ordered  to  the  battle  field  hours  before  from 
near  Manassas,  and  was  now  hard  by,  but  Earley's 
and  Elzey's  Brigades  and  Withers's,  Kershaw's  and 
Cash's  Regiments,  now  just  ordered,  were  not  ex- 
pected for  some  hours,  and  the  now  exulttint  enemy 
must  be  again  checked  if  possible  until  their  arrival. 
It  was  now  about  noon.  Sherman  marched  his  Bri- 
gade to  the  right  and  formed  a  junction  with  Hun- 
ter's Division,  which,  together  witli  Ileintzelman's 
Division,  was  proceeding  to  our  left,  pushing  their 
artillery  forward  to  more  advanced  positions,  while 
Tyler,  with  Keyes'  Brigade,  remained  upon  our  right 
on  Young's  Branch.  In  the  meantime  General 
Beauregard  had  ordered  Captain  Stanard's  Battery 
of  four  guns  to  take  position  nearly  East  of  the  Henry 
House,  Captain  Imboden  to  fall  back  to  the  same 
position,  five  guns  of  the  Washington  Battery,  two 
of  Bogers's  Battery  and  three  guns  of  Pendleton's 
Battery  to  the  same  position,  and  Alburtis's  Battery 
of  four  guns,  with  one  gun  of  Pendleton's  Battery, 
to  the  right  of  these,  just  in  rear  of  an  opening  in  the 
woods  commanding  the  Robinson  Hill.  All  except 
these  last  five    guns   commanded  the   various  hills 


23 

"West  and  Kortlnvcst  of  their  position.  Colonel 
Hampton's  Legion,  the  7tli  Georgia  Regiment,  com- 
manded bj  Colonel  Gartrcll,  and  the  5th  Virginia  of,  .. 
Jackson's  Brigade,  commanded  by  Colonel  Harper,^ '^ 
and  the  4th  South  Carolina,  Colonel  Sloan,  were 
placed  in  position  on  the  Robinson  Hill.  The  other 
four  Regiments  of  Jackson's  Brigade  were  placed  in 
position  to  support  the  batteries  before  named  as  fol- 
lows :  The  4th  Virginia,  Colonel  James  F.  Preston, 
just  in  rear  of  the  batteries ;  the  27th  Virginia, 
Colonel  Echols,  to  Preston's  rear  right;  the  2d 
Virginia,  Colonel  Allen,  to  Preston's  left ;  the 
33d  Virginia,  Colonel  Cummings,  to  Allen's  left; 
the    49th   Virginia,    Colonel    Smith,   to   Cumminjis' 

o 

left  •  the  Sth  Virginia,  Colonel  Hunton,  in  rear 
of  these;  Colonels  Strange  and  Robert  T.  Pres- 
ton, with  Latham's  Battery,  still  protecting  Lewis's 
and  Bull's  Fords.  These  were  the  several  positions 
of  the  Regiments  and  artillery  companies  then  on 
the  field;  and  when  the  deadly  conflict  Avas  a  second 
time  renewed,  the  fight  on  the  left  of  the  troops  thus 
stationed  was  confined  to  the  artillery  principally  for 
some  hours,  the  enemy's  infantry  being  much  re- 
tarded in  their  advance  movement  by  the  incessant 
shower  of  iron  hail  and  bombs  that  was  poured  upon 
them  by  our  cannon.  This  compelled  him  to  make 
his  way  to  our  left  under  cover  of  hills  and  ravines, 
uand  the  washed  places  in  the  road.  His  artillery, 
however,  was  all  the  time  returning  a  most  destruc- 
tive fire  upon  our  lines  and  batteries,  and   the  regi- 


24 

mcnts  on  the  Robinson  Hill  being  in  full  view  of  it, 
suifcred  severely.  These  men  remained  firmly  in 
position  waiting  the  approach  of  the  enemy's  infan- 
try to  within  reach  of  their  guns.  Tyler  at  length 
ordered  Keyes'  Brigade  to  ascend  the  Robinson  Hill 
for  the  purpose  of  driving  these  men  away  and  cap- 
turing the  batteries  in  their  rear.  This  was  a  grand 
idea  if  it  could  only  have  been  accomplished ;  but  no 
sooner  did  his  columns  advance  within  reach  of  the 
guns  of  those  upon  the  hill,  than  they  received  afire 
that  caused  them  to  hide  in  the  ravines  and  shelter 
themselves  in  every  conceivable  way  from  the  deadly 
missiles  profusely  dealt  upon  them.  These  brave 
men  unflinchingly  stood  their  ground,  firing  at 
every  Yankee  that  dared  to  show  his  head,  until 
they  were  ordered  out  of  the  v>'ay  of  the  enemy's 
artillery  that  had  been  for  some  time  pouring  a  de- 
structive fire  upon  them.  When  they  were  observed 
to  fall  bach,  Keyes  ordered  h's  men  to  rush  to  their 
abandoned  position  on  the  hill,  and,  according  to  his 
own  account,  he  held  it  but  for  a  moment,  for  scarcely 
had  he  reached  the  Robinson  House  before  the  artil- 
lery of  Alburtis  and  Pendleton  were  let  loose  upon 
him,  and,  without  tardiness  or  seeming  reluctance, 
he  scampered  back  to  Young's  Branch. 

It  is  hardly  necessar}^  to  pursue  the  moA-ements 
of  this  large  portion  of  the  enemy  further,  as  they 
do  not  claim  to  have  attempted  another  charge  upon 
any  part  of  our  lines  during  the  day.  According 
to  their  own   statement,  they  marched  in  very  good 


Zo 


order  and  in  very  gallant  style,  to  the  cover  of  the 
hills  on  Bull  llun,  claiming  only  to  have  cleared 
away  the  companies  left  in  the  morning  at  the  Stone 
Bridge. 

This,  however,  is  but  a  pretext  for  their  cowardly 
inactivity  ;  for  the  company  belonging  to  Wheat's 
battalion,  (the  Tigers),  had  left  the  Stone  Bridge  in 
the  morning,  time  enough  to  be  in  the  engagement 
with  Hunter,  at  the  Matthevvs  House;  Kilpatrick's 
company,  of  the  4th  South  Carolina  Regiment,  had  left 
some  time  before,and  joined  the  Hampton  Legion  prior 
to  the  fight  at  the  Robinson  House,  and  vy  as  among  the 
foremost  in  driving  them  from  that  charge.  And 
Captain  Anderson's  company,  of  the  4th  South 
Carolina,  the  only  remaining  infantry  company  sta- 
tioned at  the  Bridge,  had  left  that  post,  and,  joining 
the  49th  Virginia  Regiment,  was  led  by  Col.  Smith  to 
the  extreme  left  of  our  line  ;  whilst  the  two  guns  of 
Rogers's  artillery,  which  had  taken  position  early  in 
the  morning,  on  the  Yanpelt  Hill,  commanding  the 
Stone  Bridge,  had  exhausted  their  ammunition  some- 
time before,  upon  the  batteries  of  Carlisle  and  Ayres, 
and  retired  to  another  position.  It  will  be  perceived, 
therefore,  that  this  gallant  brigade  of  Federals  found 
no  troops  of  any  description  about  the  Stone  Bridge 
to  clear  away. 

This  gallant  brigade,  formidable  alone  for  its 
imposing  appearance  as  to  numbers,  was  seen  by 
some  of  the  Confederate  officers,  w^ho  mistook  their 
innocent  design   to    shelter  themselves  by  seeking 


26 

a  position  under  cover  of  the  bluifs  of  Bull  Run, 
for  a  purpose  to  menace  our  right,  and  gave  them 
needless  annoyance  by  sending  a  few  cannon  balls 
among  them,  "svhich  they  acknowledge  kept  them  as 
quiet  as  mice,  and  in  constant  look  out  for  the  best 
chances  of  escape  in  the  dire  ction  of  Washington. 
GThe  fear  and  alarm  that  characterized  them  may  be 
readily  inferred  from  their  imagination,  that  they 
Avere  compelled  to  retreat  from  the  Robinson  Hill, 
to  avoid  being  cut  to  pieces  by  a  galling  fire  from 
behind  breastworks  /  Keyes  states  hie  loss  in  killed, 
wounded  and  'missing,  at  242,  much  the  larger 
portion  of  which  were  the  missing.  And  vrhen  it  is 
considered  there  was  no  real  occasion  for  the  slightest 
disorder  among  the  men,  we  can  easily  form  a  proper 
estimate  of  their  character  as  soldiers. 

During  this  time,  the  divisions  of  Heintzelman  and 
Hunter,  with  Sherman's  Brigade,  had  been  working 
themselves  along  the  routes  best  protected  from  the 
fire  of  our  artillery,  to  the  left.  They  had  managed 
to  get  forward  several  of  their  batteries ;  that 
commanded  l)y  Ricketts  having  taken  position  South 
of  the  Henry  House,  while  their  columns  of  infiintry 
were  in  formidalile  array  along  the  road  from  the 
StoneHouse  to  the  woods  South  of  the  Henry  House 
— alons:  a  branch  that  lies  a  little  West  of  the  road, 
diverging  from  it  slightly  to  the  West  of  South — along 
Young's  Branch,  South  of  the  Dogan  House — and 
under  cover  of  all  the  hills  on  Hogan's  farm,  and 
others  in  that  direction  ;     all    being  kept  in  tempo- 


^27 

l*ary  check  by  the  volley;  s  of  shot  and  shell  poured 
upon  them  by  the  artillery  East  of  the  Henry  House. 
lleinforcements  from  the  direction  of  Manassas 
were  now  being  expected,  when  the  enemy  could 
be  engaged  at  all  points,  though  with  unequal 
force. 

The  enemy  having  attempted  to  silence  our  bat- 
teries, by  a  charge  made  by  Keyes'  Brigade,  as  before 
stated,  and  failing  most  signally,  now  attempted  to 
accomplish  this  by  a  charge  upon  the  left.  For  this 
purpose  a  regiment  was  ordered  to  charge  from  the 
right  ot  Ricketts's  Battery,  through  the  small  pines 
lying  to  the  left  of  the  Confederate  batteries.  In 
this  charge,  tJie  regiment  or  regiments  making  it, 
came  in  contact  with  the  49th  Virginia  Regiment, 
occupying  the  extreme  left  of  our  line  ;  whereupon, 
without  waiting  for  orders,  the  49th  returned  the 
cliarge,  causing  them  to  beat  an  instantaneous  retreat 
in  the  direction  of  the  Sudley  Road,  and  pursuing 
them,  drove  them  from  the  battery  of  Ricketts  and 
captured  the  guns.  On  getting  possession  of  the 
battery,  they  remained  and  fired  from  the  \Yheels 
of  the  cannon,  resting  their  muskets  upon  them,  for 
a  short  time,  but  finding  the  enemy  very  strong 
beyond  this  point,  and  the  nearest  of  them  occupying 
the  Sudley  Road,  which  was  worn  into  a  ravine  or 
gully,  affording  them  an  almost  impregnable  position, 
they  fell  back  to  the  pines  beyond  the  hill.  Seeing 
them  fall  back,  the  enemy  again  advanced  forward, 
and  again   attempted,  under  cover    of  the   pines,  to 


28 

the  left  of  our  battery,  to  charge  upon  and  silence 
it. 

They  hardly  gained  the  pines,  before  they  came  in 
contact  with  Col.  Cumuiings's  and  four  companies  of 
Col.  Allen's  regiments,  which  resolutely  repelled  the 
charge,  and  drove  them  bnck  to  their  position  in  the 
road.  They  reached  also,  llicketts's  Battery,  re-cap- 
turing it.  But,  finding  the  enemy  completely  pro- 
tected by  the  road,  and  themselves  exposed  to  a  most 
destructive  nre,  they  also  fell  back  to  the  pines.  The 
enemy  now  made  a  more  general  forward  movement. 
He  pushed  columns  of  his  men  to  the  top  of  the  Henry 
Hill,  literally  covering  it  from  the  woods  South  of 
the  house  to  its  base  near  the  Stone  House,  while  the 
woods  and  pines  were  swarming  with  the  red  and 
blue  jacket  Zouave  and  Chasseur.  It  had  now  be- 
come a  matter  of  considerable  importance  to  him 
to  hold  the  Henry  Hill.  Much  of  his  artillery  in 
position  on  the  hill,  had  had  the  teams  killed  by 
which  it  was  drawn,  and,  consequently,  could  not 
be  taken  away.  It  was  necessary,  therefore,  to  hold 
the  hill  in  order  to  hold  the  batteries  which  had 
been  already  twice  captured.  It  was  evident  that 
overwhelming  numbers  were  to  be  repelled  or  the 
position  abandoned,  which  Gen.  Beauregard  was  so 
anxious  to  hold  until  the  arrival  of  his  reinforce- 
ments. 

Gens.  Bee  and  Bartow  again  threw  their  com- 
mands in  front  of  his  hcav}^  coluinns — the  7th  and 
8th   Georgia  regiments,  the  2d  Mississippi  and  4th 


29 

Alabama  Regiments,  Avitli  the  4th  South  Carolina  and 
the  Hampton  Legion  ;  Col.  Fisher  leading  up  the  6th 
North  Carolina  Regiment  on  the  extreme  left  of 
these — all  except  the  6th  North  Carolina  having  been 
engaged  once  or  twice  before  during  the  day.  Upon 
these  devolved  the  herculean  task  of  holding  many 
times  their  numbers  back  until  the  earnestly  looked- 
for  reinforcements  came.  The  conflict  soon  became 
awfully  terrific.  The  roar  of  musketry  was  inces- 
sant. The  enemy  now  believing  that  to  fall  back 
again  would  turn  the  battle  against  him,  became 
more  obstinate.  The  Confederates,  w^ith  unyielding 
and  unwavering  determination,  pressed  upon  him. 
Bartow  falls — Bee  falls — still  they  press  on — Fisher 
falls,  but  his  men  charge  the  more  furiously.  Gar- 
trell  and  Falkner  are  wounded,  but  falter  not;  all 
evidently  trying  to  bring  it  to  a  hand  to  hand  fight — 
to  a  charge  of  bayonets.  This  is  too  close  for  the 
Yankees ;  they  begin  to  fall  back  to  the  hill-side 
toward  the  road. 

At  this  moment  the  desired  reinforcements  arrive. 
Colonels  Jas.  Preston,  Echols,  Harper,  Hunton, 
Withers  and  Strange  join  the  charge  across  the  Hen- 
ry Hill,  while  Gen.  Smith,  Avho  arrives  from  the  cars, 
Colonels  Kershaw  and  Cash  charge  directly  from 
the  South  and  along  the  Sudloy  Road,  a  part  of  Ker- 
shaw's regiment  occupying  the  road  and  charging 
the  enemy  that  are  protecting  themselves  by  its 
banks.  The  charge  is  now  pushed  with  increased 
spirit  and  with  indomitable  perseverance.     They  foil 


30 

back  to  the  road,  which  is  almost  impregnable,  but 
now  becomes  too  hot  for  them.  Our  soldiers  press 
steadily  upon  them ;  they  fire  spiritedly ;  but  seem- 
ingly unconscious  of  danger,  our  lines  advance. 
They  abandon  the  road  and  take  to  the  ravine  be- 
yond;  a  hot  fire  pursues  them  and  they  gain  the  top 
of  the  hill  in  their  rear,  where  they  are  met  by  the 
reserve  from  Young's  Branch,  who  had  been  under 
the  shelter  of  the  hill  for  some  hours,  and  here  they 
resolve  to  make  another  stand.  Kemper  now  places 
his  artillery  on  the  West  side  of  the  Henry  Hill. 
The  Newtown  Artillery  commanded  by  Capt.  Beck- 
ham, which  had  been  for  some  time  in  position  East 
of  the  Chinn  House,  firing  upon  the  advancing  ene- 
my wherever  he  could  be  seen  in  the  direction  of 
Sudley,  and  contributing  much  to  his  annoyance,  now 
changed  position  to  the  top  of  the  hill,  com- 
manding a  good  view  of  the  hill  to  which  he  had 
retreated.  All  the  regiments  in  the  last  charge  at 
the  Henry  House  were  continuing  a  galling  fire  upon 
him  from  the  road.  Col.  Bobt.  T.  Preston,  com- 
manding the  28th  Virginia  Begiment,  took  position 
to  the  left  of  Cash's  position  in  the  wood ;  Gen.  EI- 
zey's  brigade,  composed  of  the    Baltimore,  (Colonel 

Elzey),   10th  Virginia,   Col.  Gibbon,  and 

regiments  took  position  to  Preston's  left  and  near 
the  foot  of  the  hill.  Gen.  Early's  Brigade,  composed 
of  the  24th  Virginia,  7th  Virginia,  (Col.  Kemper,) 
and  7th  Louisiana,  (Col.  Hays)  Begiment,  took  posi- 
tion near  Cbinn's   Spring,  on  the    extreme  left,  and 


31 

perhaps  some  other  Confederate  troops  were  on  the 
ground.     Of  this,  however,  the  writer  is  unadvised. 

Thus  were  the  two  armies  posted  when  the  hist 
conflict  took  place  between  them,  and  upon  which 
depended  the  enemy's  last  hope  of  victory.  His 
whole  columns  were  now  engaged  and  soon  began  to 
give  way  in  confusion.  They  fell  back  from  the  top 
of  the  hill  to  the  thickets  in  their  rear,  and  to 
Young's  Branch,  and  finding  themselves  hotly  pur- 
sued, they  broke  ranks  and  fled  in  all  directions, 
each  one  seeming  mindful  of  his  own  safctv  and 
perfectly  regardless  of  the  safety  of  the  rest,  whiht 
all  seemed  actuated  by  the  old  saying,  of  "  Devil 
lake  the  hindmost." 

So  soon  as  their  columns  began  to  give  way,  Capt. 
Beckham  instantly  changed  his  position  to  a  hill  on 
Young's  Branch  in  the  direction  of  Groveton,  and 
contributed  much  to  facilitate  their  flight,  while 
Capt.  Kemper  turned  two,  and  others  four  more,  of 
their  own  long-ranged  guns,  captured  on  the  Henry 
Hill  upon  them,  increasing  much  their  fright  and  the 
velocity  of  their  speed.  Elzey's  and  Earley's  Bri- 
gades and  a  number  of  regiments  started  in  the  pur- 
suit, also,  Beckham's  and  Kemper's  Batteries.  All 
pursuit  by  the  infantry  was  soon  found  to  be  vnin, 
except  to  prove  the  Federals  are  far  better  at  run- 
ning than  they  are  at  fighting. 

A  few  of  the  shots  from  Beckham's  artillery  over- 
took them  as  they  passed  the  Pittsylvania  House,  but 
they  were  soon  protected  by  tha  hill  which  they  de- 


.32 

scendcd  towards  Bull  Run  at  much  more  than  "  double 
quick." 

Capt.  Kemper  was  more  successful.  Taking  the 
Turnpike  Road  he  was  able  to  get  in  sight  of  a  large 
number  of  them  as  they  Avere  passing  the  Spindle 
House,  and  by  a  single  shot,  which  he  sent  ahead  to 
invigorate  them  by  the  assurance  of  his  immediate 
presence  in  their  rear,  he  smashed  one  of  their  can- 
non, killed  three  men  and  two  horses. 

The  scampering  among  them  at  this  point  became 
at  once  so  great  as  to  make  another  shot  unnecessa- 
ry. He  again  pursued  them  to  within  range  of 
Cub  Run  Bridge  and  sent  ahead  numerous  missiles 
upon  most  deadly  errands,  of  the  effects  of  which, 
an  eye  witness  thus  speaks : 

[Extract  from  Burnside's  Official  Report.] 

**  Upon  the  bridge  crossing  Cub  Run,  a  shot  took 
effect  upon  the  horses  of  a  team  that  was  crossing. 
Tlie  w^agon  was  overturned  directly  in  the  centre  of 
the  bridge  and  the  passage  was  completely  obstruct- 
ed. The  enemy  continued  to  play  his  artillery  upon 
the  train  carriages,  ambulances  and  artillery  wagons 
that  filled  the  road,  and  these  were  reduced  to  ruins. 
The  artillery  could  not  possibly  pass,  and  five  pieces 
of  the  Rhode  IsUnd  battery,  which  had  been  safely 
brought  off  the  field,  were  lost ." 

The  scenes  that  here  ensued  beggar  all  descrip- 
tion.    The  wildest   confusion   prevailed.     Cannons 


33 

and  caissons,  ambulances  and  train  wagons,  with  the 
horses  attached,  and  hundreds  of  soldiers,  all  fleeing 
with  the  utmost  speed,  alarmed  and  terrified,  rushed 
helter  skelter  down  the  hill  into  a  common  heap. 
Those  upon  horses  dismounted ;  those  who  had  taken 
to  the  wagons  and  ambulances  for  conveyance, 
jumped  out,  while  those  on  foot,  joined  in  the  com- 
mon scramble  to  cross  the  stream  and  get  away  from 
their  pursuers.  Here  much  of  the  valuable  fruits 
of  this  unprecedented  victory  was  gathered. 

There  were  many  of  the  Confederate  forces  of 
whom  no  mention  is  made  in  the  foregoing  part  of 
this  narrative,  who  are  entitled  to  as  much  credit  as 
if  they  had  been  in  the  hottest  of  the  battle.  Under 
the  circumstances  controlling  the  disposition  of  the 
Confederate  troops.  Gen.  Beauregard  was  compelled 
to  station  them  at  all  the  crossings  of  Bull  Run, 
not  knowing  at  which  the  enemy  was  determined  to 
pass.  And  though  he  was  enabled,  on  the  morning 
of  the  21st  to  ascertain  his  purpose  to  turn  his  left 
flank,  yet  he  could  not  be  certain  but  that  his  design 
was  to  cross  a  large  force  at  any  point  from  which 
the  troops  might  be  withdrawn.  Hence  the  neces- 
sity of  keeping  his  troops  posted  at  all  the  fords 
throughout  the  whole  day.  McDowell  kept  the 
troops  stationed  at  each  ford,  continually  mindful  of 
his  presence,  by  the  thundering  of  his  cannon,  the 
whistling  of  balls  and  explosion  of  shells  immedi- 
ately among  and  around  them,  for  nearly  the  whole 
day.     Our  true  hearted  boys  not  being   allowed  to 


34 

return  his  fire,  were  thereby  placed  in  a  far  more 
unpleasant  situation  than  the  battlefield,  and  no 
■wonder  that  we  hear  so  many  complaining  of  not 
being  allowed  to  participate  in  the  conflict  of  the 
field,  for  they  were  being  constantly  killed  and 
wounded  without  the  satisfaction  which  retaliation 
alTords. 

These  men  were  as  much  participants  in  the  glo- 
rious events  of  the  21st,  as  if  they  had  been  in  the 
struggles  of  the  Matthews,  the  Robinson  or  the 
Henry  House,  and  they  ought  to  content  themselves 
with  the  assurance,  that,  stationed  as  our  troops 
were,  it  depended  on  Gen.  McDowell  as  to  which  of 
them  should  be  in  the  hottest  of  the  fight. 

Had  he  adhered  to  his  first  purpose,  nnd  sought  to 
cross  Bull  Run  at  MitchelFs  and  Blackburn's  Ford, 
or  still  lower  down,  then  the  hardest  of  the  fighting 
would  have  been  by  the  troops  stationed  at  those 
places  ;  whilst  those  stationed  at  the  upper  fords 
would  have  been  comparatively  inactive.  Nor  were 
the  troops  below,  inactive  on  the  21st.  They  had 
the  enemy  in  their  sight  pouring  destructive  and 
death-dealing  missiles  upon  them  in  ceaseless  show- 
ers until  late  in  the  day,  when  they  showed  them- 
selves by  a  determined  charge  upon  them.  But  the 
invading  hosts,  true  to  their  instincts,  and  Avith 
characteristic  cowardice,  fled  precipitately,  leaving 
their  pursuers  far  in  the  rear. 

It  is  much  to  be  regretted  that  none  of  the  gallant 
movements    of    the    Confederate    Cavalry    on    this 


35 

memorable  day  can  be  given.  Their  ceaseless  ac- 
tivity on  all  parts  of  the  field,  and  constant  presence 
at  all  points  suited  to  their  operations,  has  rendered 
it  impossible  to  do  them  even  partial  justice,  and  has 
caused  the  effort  to  do  so  to  be  Avholly  abandoned. 
It  is  but  just,  however,  to  say  that  in  perusing  the 
enemy's  reports,  we  find  them  at  all  points  terribly 
annoyed  by  our  cavalry,  and  constantly  engaged  in 
repelling  their  desperate  charges ;  and,  when  the 
rout  began,  the  impetuosity  with  which  they  dashed 
into  the  enemy's  retreating  columns,  is  already  a 
matter  of  history. 

It  has  been  stated  that  General  McDowell,  the 
leader  of  the  Federal  army,  displayed  a  very  high 
order  of  generalship  in  this  battle.  This  has  been 
done  to  show  that  truth  and  justice  to  all  are  the 
aim  of  the  author,  and  that  ample  justice  can  be 
done  to  the  veriest  enemy  who  is  lending  his  skill 
and  abilities,  which  eminently  qualify  for  high  dis- 
tinction if  exerted  in  a  just  and  righteous  cause,  to 
the  destruction  of  everything  sacred  to  freemen,  but 
who,  by  wanton  misdirection  of  both,  is  doomed  to 
reap  ignomy  and  die  disgraced  and  unlamented. 
But  to  estimate  properly  the  military  skill  and  abili- 
ty of  the  brave  and  sagacious,  yet  unpretending 
Beauregard,  who,  with  so  much  apparent  ease,  com- 
pletely baffled  all  his  well  and  adroitly  laid  plans,  is 
no  easy  task. 

The  plans  of  McDowell  and  the  movements  by 
which  they   were   most   signally  thwarted,  are   now 


3G 

before  the  reader.     The  result  is  almost  incredible. 
And,  when  we  consider  the  advantages  of  the  one 
side  and  the   disadvantages   of  the  other,  and  that 
superior  numbers  were  on  the  side  of  the  superior 
advantages,  the  result   of  the   conflict   is  rendered 
marvelous  beyond  conception,  and  places   General 
Beauregard  far  above  his  competitor,  and  at  once 
ranks  him  among  the  greatest  warriors  of  the  world. 
HoAV  thankful  the  people  of  the  Confederate  States 
should  be  to  an  Allwise  and  Beneficent  Providence 
that  such  a  man  has  been  given  us  to  direct  our  de- 
fence against  the' wicked   designs  toward  us  of  so 
tyrannical,  fanatical  and  unprincipled,  and,  at  the 
same  time,  so  formidable  a  foe  as  that  with  which  we 
have  to  contend.     How  much  it  should  add  to  our 
gratitude  to  reflect,  that  while  we  have  one  leader 
Avho  has,  at  the  very  commencement  of  the  struggle, 
attained  high  pre-eminence  over  the  leaders  of  the 
enemy,  we  may  have  in  our  midst  many  who  may 
not  only   be    his   equals,    but    who,    when    similar 
circumstances   shall   develope   their  abilities,   shall 
prove  to  be  superior  to  him.     We  will  be  thankful 
that  we  have  one  such  as  General  Beauregard,  and, 
believing,  as  we  do,  that  he  is  sent  of  God  to  enable 
us  to  meet  successfully  our  present  unprecedented 
emergency,  we  can  trust  our  cause  into  his  hands 
and  ask  God's  blessings  upon  it  and  him.     Ypt,  who 
can  doubt,  that  when  the  war  shall  be  ended,  it  will 
be  impossible  to  decide  which  of  our  officers  has  dis- 


37 

played  most  ability,  or  which   of  our  soldiers  most 
bravery. 

Let  it  not  be  forgotten  too  that  Gen.  Johnston  was 
upon  the  battlefield,  whose  mere  presence  is  sure 
guaranty  of  victory,  and  who  only  awaits  the  op- 
portunity^ to  develope  sagacity,  skill  and  power,  that 
shall  call  forth  and  command  the  admiration  of  the 
world.  But,  above  all  things,  let  us  never  be  un- 
mindful that  ''  salvation  is  of  the  Lord;"  that  it  is 
He  who  gives  wisdom  to  the  officer  and  courage  to 
the  soldier ;  who  makes  great  men  for  great  emerg- 
encies, and  with  Avhom  alone  are  the  issues  of  the 
battle.  Let  us  praise  Him  that  he  has  recognized 
our  cause ;  that  He  has  manifested  His  favor  and 
His  protection  thus  far  in  the  struggle,  and,  with 
grateful  hearts,  implore  a  continuance  of  His  favor 
upon  us  and  upon  our  arms  until  we  obtain  a  glorious 
and  permanent  peace. 

FOURTH    ALABAMA  REGIMENT COLOxNEL  JONES. 

The  Fourth  Alabama  Regiment,  Colonel  Jones, 
passed  up  Bull  Run  to  the  right  of  the  Lewis  House, 
crossed  the  Turnpike  and  advanced  to  within  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  yards  of  the  Matthews  House,  where 
they  met  the  advancing  forces  of  the  enemy.  They 
were  discovered  emerging  from  the  woods  and  on 
the  hill  in^e  direction  of  Sudley.  A  severe  en- 
gagement took  place  at  this  point,  and,  after  the  re- 
pulse of  four  regiments  of  the  enemy  (as  stated  in 
their  official  report)  this  regiment,  being  overpower- 


ed  by  superior  numbers,  retreated  through  a  small 
body  of  woods,  crossed  Young's  Branch  about  two 
hundred  yards  below  the  Stone  House,  passed  the 
the  Robinson  House,  and  formed  in  a  ravine  in  the 
rear  thereof.  The  enemy's  shells,  fired  at  the 
Hampton  Legion  and  the  Seventh  Georgia  Regi- 
ment, who  were  posted  on  the  lane  between  the  Ro- 
binson House  and  the  Turnpike,  falling  and  explod- 
ing among  them,  caused  a  further  retreat  through 
the  woods  to  the  open  land  in  the  direction  of  the 
Lewis  House,  where  they  halted  until  Brigadier 
General  Bee  led  them  by  a  left  flank  movement  to 
the  spot  where  he  fell.  Finding  themselves  a  second 
time  without  a  commander,  and  the  men  suftering 
for  water,  they  retired  to  a  branch  near  Lewis's 
House  to  quench  their  thirst;  after  resting  a  short 
time,  drew  up  in  a  line  and  remained  there,  sup- 
posing the  enemy  to  be  advancing.  President  Davis 
arriving  and  proposing  to  lead  them,  they  started  back 
for  the  scene  of  action.  A  messenger  arriving,  in- 
formed them  that  the  enemy  were  in  full  retreat.  A 
further  advance  was  deemed  unnecessary,  and  they 
returned  to  Manassas  at  1 1  o'clock  P.  M.  The  Re- 
giment suffered  severely,  both  in  the  engagement 
and  retreat.  Their  gallant  Colonel  [Jones)  fell 
mortally  wounded,  and  w^as  captured  by  the  enemy. 
Lieutenant  Colonel  Law  was  disabllil  by  a  ball 
which  shattered  his  left,  arm  at  the  elbow.  Also, 
Major  Scott  was  Avounded  and  many  other  officers 
and  men.     The  loss  of  this  regiment  was  very  great. 


39 

SECOND    MISSISSIPPI    REGIMENT COL.    W.    C.    FALKNER. 

This  Regiment  left  their  place  of  bivouac  on  Bull 
Run  in  the  vicinity  of  Mitchell's  Ford,  on  the 
morning  of  the  21st  July,  and  marched  in  the  direc- 
tion of  Stone  Bridge,  heavy  firing  being  heard 
from  that  quarter.  Arriving  near  the  Turnpike, 
they  ascertr.ined  the  position  of  the  enemy's  flank- 
ing columns,  and  took  position  near  the  corner  of 
the  woods,  in  the  rear  or  North  of  the  Stone  House. 
Immediately  after  forming  into  line,  a  heavy  fire 
was  opened  upon  them  from  one  of  the  enemy's  bat- 
teries, posted  upon  the  rising  ground  in  Dogan's 
field  and  to  the  West  of  Sudley  Road.  They  replied 
with  telling  effect,  judging  from  the  confusion  pro- 
duced in  the  enemy's  ranks,  and  a  great  number  of 
them  must  have  been  killed  and  wounded.  The  re- 
giment held  its  position  for  more  than  an  hour,  ex- 
posed to  the  fire  of  artillery  and  infantry.  By  or- 
der of  General  Bee,  two  companies  of  this  regiment, 
one  under  Capt.  Buchanan  and  the  other  under 
Capt.  Miller,  w^ere  sent  forward  as  skirmishers  in 
the  direction  of  Sudley.  They  did  their  work  well, 
pouring  a  galling  fire  into  the  enemy  as  he  ad- 
vanced. Their  own  loss  was  considerable  ;  many 
being  killed  and  wounded.  Seeing  heavy  columns 
of  the  eneray  advancing  by  a  flanking  movement  to 
the  left,  and  towards  the  position  occupied  by  Capt. 
Imboden's  battery  near  the  Henry  House,  and  sup- 
posing that  corps  in   danger   of  being  surrounded 


40 

and  c<apturcd,  the  regiment  moved  by  the  left  flank, 
and  took  position  in  rear  of  and  for  the  support  of 
Captain  Imboden,  who,  appreciating  the  danger  of 
his  position,  marched  his  battery  to  one  of  greater 
security.  The  enemy  making  demonstration  in 
overwhelming  numbers,  both  of-  artillery  and  in- 
fantry, upon  the  road  leading  to  Manassas  and  to 
the  South  of  the  Henry  House,  the  position  of  the 
regiment  was  again  changed  to  a  point  near  that 
road,  and  near  a  piece  of  woods,  distant  from  the 
Henry  House  about  three  hundred  yards.  Here 
the  enemy  had  posted  his  battery,  the  different  sec- 
tions of  which  extended  along  the  ridge  nearly 
parallel  with  the  woods.  This  regiment,  in  conjunc- 
tion with  others,  novf  opened  fire,  killing  the  men 
and  horses  and  capturing  w*hat  proved  to  be  the  bat- 
tery commanded  by  Ricketts.  The  struggle  at  this 
point  was  of  the  most  sanguinary  character,  and  de- 
cided the  fate  of  the  day.  The  men  were  engaged 
in  combat  at  the  very  mouths  of  the  cannon,  and 
gallantly  and  successfully  contested  every  inch  of 
ground.  Col.  Falkner  received  a  severe,  though 
not  mortal  wound,  after  having  had  his  horse  twice 
shot  under  him.  Of  the  officers.  Lieutenants  Bros- 
sellman.  Smith,  Butler,  and  Palmer,  and  seventy- 
nine  privates,  were  killed,  and  many  mortally 
wounded. 


ELEVENTH  MISSISSIPPI  REGIMENT COLONEL 


Owing  to  some  delay  in  their  transportation  by 


41 

railroad  from  Winchester,  only  two  companies  of 
this  regiment  took  part  in  the  engagement  of  this 
memorable  day,  and  these  formed  part  of  the  Se- 
cond Mississippi  Regiment,  whose  brilliant  achieve- 
ments are  stated  above. 

EIGHTH  GEORGIA  VOLUNTEERS COLONEL  WILLIAM  M. 

GARDNER. 

This  Regiment  marched  early  in  the  morning  from 
a  point  below  on  Bull  Run,  in  the  direction  of  the 
Lewis  House,  to  the  road  to  Ball's  Ford,  thence  to 
the  Ford  and  formed  in  line  of  battle,  where  they  re- 
mained a  short  time  ;  then  marched  to  a  point  near 
the  Henry  House  and  drew  up  in  line  of  battle 
again.  The  enemy  having  exhibited  his  front  near 
the  Matthews  House,  they  again  marched  by  the 
Henry  House,  crossed  the  turnpike  road  East  of  the 
ford  of  Young's  Branch,  below  the  Stone  House, 
down  the  East  side  of  said  branch  a  short  distance, 
crossed  and  marched  oyer  a  hill  West  of  a  drain  and 
some  pine  thickets  to  a  point  at  the  extreme  North 
margin  of  a  piece  of  pine  near  the  Matthews  House, 
and  here  formed  in  line  of  battle  to  support  the  4th 
Alabama  Regiment,  fighting  to  the  left  of  this  posi- 
tion on  their  arrival.  Here  they  immediately  en- 
gaged the  enemy,  who  had  advanced  to  the  Matthews 
House,  and  ice  house,  and  East  and  West  of  this 
house.  The  engagement  was  fierce  and  terrific,  and 
lasted  near  an  hour.  General  Bartow's  horse  was 
killed  here,  and  Colonel  Gardner  was  badly  wounded. 


42 

From  this  point  they  fell  back  nearly  on  the  line  by 
^vhicli  they  advanced,  skirmishing  with  the  enemy, 
who  were  seeking  to  cut  them  off  at  several  points, 
and,  recrossing  Young's  Branch,  marched  up  the 
hill  in  direction  of  the  Robinson  House  and  formed 
a  junction  with  the  7th  Georgia  Regiment,  at  the 
turnpike,  just  east  of  the  Robinson  Gate.  Here 
they  fired  at  the  advancing  columns  of  the  enemy, 
which  had  now  reached  the  branch.  They  then 
marched  to  the  lower  side  of  a  small  clump  of  pines 
near  the  road,  and  nearly  up  the  drain  to  near  the 
point  at  which  General  Bartow  fell,  where  they  made 
a  resolute  charge  on  the  enemy  about  the  Henry 
House  and  succeeded  in  driving  them  again  from 
their  batteries.  From  this  point  they  retired  to  the 
branch  East  of  the  Lewis  House  and  remained  there 
ail  night.  It  is  very  easy  for  one,  at  whatever  dis- 
tance he  may  have  been  from  the  scene  of  strife,  to 
see  the  hardships  endured  and  privations  suffered  by 
this  regiment,  when  we  consider  the  impossibility  of 
procuring  food  or  water  during  the  whole  of  the  day, 
to  say  nothing  of  the  exposure  to  wounds  and  death 
at  every  step  on  their  march. 

FOURTH  SOUTH    CAROLINA    REGIMENT COLONEL  J.  B.   T. 

SLOAN. 

This  regiment  formed  in  line  of  battle  Sunday 
morning  at  4  or  5  o'clock  on  a  hill  near  Vanpelt's 
House,  and  remained  until  half-past  8  o'clock,  A.  M. 
They  left  two  companies  to  guard  the  Stone  Bridge 


43 

and  changed  position  to  a  point  near  the  Pitts3^1vania 
House,  with  Wheat's  Battalion  on  their  right  and 
two  guns  of  Latham's  Battery  in  front.  They  had 
not  more  than  formed  before  they  discovered  the 
enemy  were  still  flanking  them,  and  moved  imme- 
diately, throwing  themselves  in  front  of  the  enemy 
(marching  from  the  direction  of  Sudiey)  taking  po- 
sition with  their  left  on  the  Sudiey  Road,  and  their 
right  resting  in  the  woods  to  the  rear  of  the  Stone 
House ;  one  of  Latham's  guns  and  Captain  Terry's 
Cavalry  on  their  right.  They  here  opened  fire  on  the 
advancing  enemy.  The  enemy  gaining  a  position 
which  gave  them  considerable  advantage,  they  found 
it  necessary  to  advance  through  the  woods,  and  took 
position  on  the  North  side  of  the  woods  and  much 
in  a  line  with  the  North  margin,  with  General  Bee's 
command  on  their  right.  Here  they  stood  a  severe 
fire  from  the  enemy  in  their  front  and  along  the  road, 
wdiich  damaged  them  very  much,  killing  and  wound- 
ing some  fifty  of  their  men.  They  were  ordered  to 
fall  back  to  a  point  of  wood  North  of  the  turnpike 
road  and  a  short  distance  to  the  East  of  the  gate 
leading  into  the  Robinson  House,  and  there  drew 
up  again  in  line  of  battle  and  fought  the  enemy,  who 
had  now  advanced  to  near  Young's  Branch.  From 
this  position  they  fell  back  again,  to  avoid  being 
flanked  by  the  enemy,  to  the  drain  below  the  Robin- 
son House,  formed  and  returned  in  line  of  battle  to 
the  house.  Here  they  were  ordered  to  lie  down 
and  await  the  nearer  approach  of  the  enemy,  now 


44 

advancing  from  the   direction  of  the  Stone  House, 
and   just  below  on  Young's  Branch.     Being  soon 
rallied  by  Colonel  Evans,   they  here  fought  under  a 
terrific  fire  of  the  enemy  near  in  their  front  for  some 
time,  and  -were  ordered  back  to  the  opening  East  of 
the  wood  that  skirts  the  drain  to  their  rear.     From 
this  point  they  marched  to  and  took  position  nearly 
East  of  the  Henry  House,  and  with  Hampton's  Le- 
gion on  their  left,  charged  upon  the  enemy  around 
the  Henry  House,  driving  them  back,  and  thence  to 
Ricketts'  Battery,  pulling  out  three  of  their  guns  ; 
Lieutenant  T.   J.   Sloan  acting  as  captain  to  one, 
Ferguson  loading,  and  fired  on  the  retreating  enemy 
near  the   Sudley   Road  beyond   the   Stone    House. 
Then  they  moved  the  guns  two  hundred  yards  to  a 
point  commanding  the  approach  to  Vanpolt's  House, 
and  were  ready  to  fire  when  General  Beauregard  and 
Governor  Manning  commanded  them  to  take  the  guns 
off  to  the  Lewis  House.     They  carried  them   some 
distance  in  that  direction  and  left  them  until  morn- 
ing.   Captain  Anderson,  with  his  company,  belonging 
to  this  regiment,  who  was  left  in  the  morning  near 
the  Stone  Bridge  to  guard  this  point,  in  the  after- 
noon marched  across  the  mouth  of  Young's  Branch 
and  joined  a  battalion  commanded  by  Colonel  Smith, 
of  Virginia,  and  was  placed  with  this  battalion  on 
the  extreme  left  of  our  line,  and  made  the  first  in- 
fantry charge   upon   the  Ricketts'   Battery,   which 
they  captured. 


45 

The  other  company  of  this  regiment,  which  was 
left  in  defence  of  the  Stone  Bridge,  was  commanded 
by  Captain  Kilpatrick,  and  joined  the  Hampton  Le- 
gion just  before  the  engagement  with  the  enemy  at 
the  Robinson  House,  and  fought  with  the  Legion 
both  at  the  Robinson  and  the  Henry  House.  These 
two  companies  left  the  bridge  on  seeing  the  Federal 
Army  move  up  the  Run  with  evident  intention  to 
cross  some  where  above  and  flank  them — the  regiment 
having  gone  from  their  support  and  engaged  the 
enemy  at  the  Matthews  House.  They,  thereupon, 
connected  themselves  with  the  nearest  regiments 
and  moved  promptly  into  action,  doing  good  service 
and  manifesting  the  patriotic  spirit  and  determined 
fortitude  which  characterized  the  great  body  of  the 
Confederate  troops  engaged  in  this  great  battle. 

MAJOR    wheat's    battalion LOUISIANA    VOLUNTEERS. 

This  battalion  camped  the  night  of  the  2nth  July 
in  an  orchard  back  of  Vanpelt's  House,  marched  in 
the  morning  about  8  o'clock  to  the  Pittsylvania 
House,  and  then  drew  up  in  line  of  battle  with  the 
4th  South  Carolina  Regiment  and  two  of  the  guns  of 
Latham's  Battery ;  but  finding  the  enemy  were 
marching  around  by  the  ford  at  Sudley,  they  left 
their  position  at  the  Pittsylvania  House  and  marched 
in  direction  of  Dogan's  to  the  Sudley  Road  and 
formed  in  line  of  battle  near  the  road  and  North  of 
the  woods  back  of  the  Stone  House,  and  here,  in 
conjunction   with   several   other    regiments   before 


46 

named,  stood  the  enemy's  first  charge,  keeping  him 
in  check  for  some  time.  These  men  sufi'ered  very 
much,  many  of  them  being  killed  and  wounded,  and 
Major  Wheat  himself  receiving  what  was  supposed 
at  the  time  a  mortal  wound,  but  as  if  spared  by  a 
kind  Providence  for  a  good  and  noble  purpose,  he 
speedily  recovered.  After  Major  Wheat  had  fallen, 
Captain  Harris  took  command,  and  on  receiving  or- 
ders to  that  effect,  fell  back  to  the  bridge  across 
Young's  Branch.  The  Rifle  Tigers,  which  belong 
to  this  battalion,  were  deployed  in  the  morning  early 
to  a  point  on  Bull  Run,  above  the  Stone  Bridge, 
where  it  was  thought  the  enemy's  infantry  and  cavalry 
might  be  able  to  cross,  from  which  point  they  opened 
the  fight  of  the  21st  with  the  enemy's  pickets  at  7 
o'clock,  A.  M.  But  hearing  a  brisk  fire  in  the  di* 
rection  of  Sudley,  and  observing  the  enemy  move  in 
that  direction,  they  marched  directly  to  the  Mat- 
thews House,  and  v/hile  passing  between  the  enemy 
and  this  house,  with  a  view  to  take  a  sheltered  posi- 
tion, Adrian  received  a  shot  from  the  enemy,  wound- 
ing him  slightly.  They,  however,  gained  the  desired 
position,  and  gave  the  enemy  much  trouble,  killing 
an  officer  and  many  of  his  men  before  they  were 
compelled  to  abandon  their  position  to  him.  They 
then  fell  back,  having  sustained  much  loss,  and 
charged  him  again  in  conjunction  with  the  4th  Ala- 
bama Regiment.  In  this  second  charge  they  ad- 
vanced from  the  foot  of  the  hill  near  the  woods  back 
of  the  Stone  House  to  a  point  near  the  top  of  the  hill, 


47 

and  not  far  from  Matthews'  House,  from  behind 
which  the  enemy  was  sending  deadly  missiles  at  the 
Alabamians.  From  this  point  their  fire  upon  the 
enemy  was  sharp  and  destructive. 

SEVENTH    GEORGIA    VOLUNTEERS COLONEL    L.    J. 

GARTRELL. 

This  Regiment  left  Manassas  between  6  and  7,  A. 
M.,  and  took  their  first  position  between  the  Henry 
House  and  the  Sudley  Road  about  10,  A.  M.  The 
enemy  not  having  reached  this  point,  but  now  march- 
ing in  heavy  column  toAvards  the  Robinson  House, 
they  marclied  to  that  house  and  took  their  second 
position  between  it  and  the  Turnpike  Road  about  an 
hour  after.  On  attaining  this  position,  they  found 
the  enemy  now  not  in  reach  of  their  guns,  and  lay 
down  to  shelter  themselves  as  much  as  possible  from 
the  showers  of  ball  and  shell  from  the  enemy's  can- 
non, during  which  time  a  number  of  the  men  were 
killed,  and  Col.  Gartrell's  horse  knocked  from  under 
him  by  the  explosion  of  a  shell.  This  position  being 
too  much  exposed,  and  the  enemy  not  coming  in 
reach  of  their  guns,  they  changed  their  position  to 
the  Turnpike  Road,  East  of  Robinson's  Gate,,  which 
is  the  nearest  point  of  the  road  to  the  house  ;  from 
this  point  they  fired  on  the  enemy  while  crossing 
Young's  Branch,  and  charging  up  the  hill  towards 
them  ;  then  they  changed  their  position  to  the  rear 
of  a  clump  of  pines  and  upon  or  near  a  small  branch 
lying  nearest  to  and  East  of  the  Robinson  House ; 


48 

then  fell  back  througli  an  opening  in  the  wood  lying 
East  of  said  branch  and  took  a  position  just  East  of 
the  wood.  From  this  position  they  marched  to  a 
point  East  of  the  Henry  House  and  East  of  Gene- 
ral Bartow's  column,  and  charged  on  the  enemy,  now 
occupying  the  ridge  on  which  the  house  stands,  and 
with  other  regiments  drove  the  enemy  from  this  ridge 
and  captured  a  portion  of  their  battery,  planting  our 
colours  upon  it  by  E.  W.  Hoyle,  Sergeant  Newman, 
and  others  ;  maintaining  the  position  about  an  hour 
until  the  enemy  fled.  These  men  were  under  the 
fire  of  the  enemy's  artillery  or  infantry  all  day,  and 
of  580  men,  lost  in  killed  and  wounded  170.  In 
this  last  engagement,  Colonel  Gartrell  was  wounded 
and  Henry  C,  Gartrell,  his  son,  killed,  and  General 
Bartow  killed  also.  They  returned  to  their  camp  at 
Manassas,  arriving  there  about  9  o'clock  at  night, 
having  endured  for  fourteen  or  fifteen  hours  the  toil 
and  fatigue  of  the  march  and  of  the  battle  field,  amid 
clouds  of  dust  and  smoke,  without  water  or  food. 

Hampton's  legion. 

The  first  position  of  Colonel  Hampton's  men 
known  to  the  writer  was  between  the  llobinson  House 
and  the  Turnpike  Boad,  where  they  took  a  prominent 
part  in  checking  the  advance  of  the  enemy,  charging 
in  that  direction.  In  this  position  they  stood  a  long 
time  exposed  to  the  deadly  fire  of  the  enemy's  artil- 
lery while  waiting  the  arrival  of  his  infantry  to  a 
point  within  reach    of  their  guns;     during  which 


49 

time  many  of  tliem  were  killed  and  wounded.  Keyes' 
Brigade  of  Tyler's  Division  made  a  charge  upon 
them  with  a  view  to  drive  them  back  and  capture  the 
battery  in  their  rear,  which  was  holding  in  check 
nearly  all  the  rest  of  the  enemy's  forces.  A  spirited 
contest  ensued,  the  enemy  keeping  as  much  as  pos- 
sible under  cover  of  the  hills,  while  the  artillery 
continued  to  play  upon  them.  They  were  finally 
ordered  to  fall  back,  which  they  did  in  good  order, 
taking  position  in  rear  of  the  nearest  woods  to  the 
East  of  the  Robinson  House.  From  this  point  they 
marched  several  hundred  yards  and  took  position  to 
the  East  of  the  Henry  House,  and  charged  upon  the 
enemy  now  occupying  the  Henry  House.  They 
were  here  engaged  in  an  almost  hand  to  hand  fio-ht 
with  the  heavy  columns  of  the  enemy,  who  were 
struggling  to  maintain  the  possession  of  this  hill 
and  their  batteries,  which  had  been  placed  upon  it. 
They  succeeded,  however,  in  conjunction  with  other 
regiments,  in  driving  them  back  and  holding  the  hill 
and  the  captured  battery  until-  the  general  rout  of 
the  enemy.  They  then  marched  in  pursuit  of  them 
to  Cub  Run  Bridge,  aiding  in  the  capture  of  a  large 
number  of  cannon,  wagons,  muskets,  prisoners  and 
ambulances,  and  many  other  articles  too  tedious  to 
mention,  until  a  very  late  hour  at  night. 

FIFTH  VIRGINIA  VOLUNTEERS COLONEL  KENTON 

HARPER. 

This   regiment  took  position  in  an   opening  in  a 


50 

wood  to  tlie  rear  of  the  Robinson  House, East  of  a  drain 
running  to  the  bridge  across  Young's  Branch,  East 
of  said  house  and  in  front  of  Alburtis's  battery, 
about  1 2  M. ;  then  marched  to  the  house  and  enframed 
the  enemy  advancing  in  that  direction  from  the  Stone 
House :  then  fell  back  to  the  rear  of  wood  to  risrht 
of  their  first  position,  and  also  to  the  right  of  the  posi- 
tion now  occupied  by  the  7th  Georgia.  From  this 
position  they  advanced  and  took  position  Northeast 
of  the  Henry  House,  charged  upon  the  enemy  in  the 
direction  of  the  Stone  House,  passing  down  a  ravine 
running  in  that  direction  nearly  to  the  Turnpike  Road 
under  a  heavy  fire  from  the  enemy,  causing  him  (the 
enemy)  to  fall  back ;  then  returned  to  last  position  and 
charged  wdth  4th  and  27th  Regiments  to  the  road. 
Lieutenant  Paxton  here  placed  the  flag  of  the  7th 
Georgia  Regiment  on  the  guns  here  taken. 

FOURTH  VIRGINIA  REGIMENT COLONEL  JAMES  F. 

PRESTON. 

This  regiment  marched  from  near  Manassas  by 
Lewis's  House  and  took  position  just  at  the  West 
margin  of  pines  in  sight  of  the  Henry  House,  about 
12,  M.  Artillery  companies  just  in  front  of  them. 
They  lay  here  under  fire  of  the  enemy's  guns  di- 
rected at  the  artillery  in  their  front,  their  balls 
whistling  and  their  bombs  exploding  in  their  midst 
for  two-and-a-half  hours ;  many  of  the  men  being 
killed  and  wounded,  (Gen.  Beauregard's  horse  being 
killed  by  enemy's  cannon,  just  in  front  of  this  regi- 


51 

ment,  and  just  in  rear  of  fifth  gun  from  the  left  of 
artillery)  during  the  occupation  of  this  position, 
yet  not  a  man  moved.  The  enemy  having  been  re- 
peatedly driven  back  from  the  hill  about  the  Henry 
House,  were  now  struggling  in  an  almost  hand  to 
hand  fight  to  regain  and  hold  it,  and  the  artillery 
upon  it,  when  the  artillery  in  their  front  was 
ordered  back,  and  they  wheeled  to  the  left  and 
charged  just  to  the  left  of  the  Henry  House, 
driving  the  enemy  from  the  road  by  a  reckless  . 
and  furious  charge,  to  some  distance  from  the 
house,  and  captured  six  of  their  guns  at  the  road 
below  the  house,  which  they  held  and  turned  upon 
their  retreating  columns. 

TWENTY-SEVENTH    VIRGINIA COLONEL  ECHOLS. 

This  regiment  took  their  first  position  Justin  the 
rear  right  of  Col.  Jas.  F.  Preston's,  above  describ- 
ed, and  left  their  position  at  the  same  time,  march- 
ing and  charging  to  his  right,  leaving  the  Henry 
House  to  their  left,  charging  the  enemy  alono-  the 
road  and  beyond,  capturing,  at  the  road,  the  flag 
of  the  first  Michigan  regiment. 

SECOND  VIRGINIA COL.   J.   W.   ALLEN. 

The  position  of  this  regiment,  at  first,  was  a  lit- 
tle to  the  left  of  Col.  Preston's  in  the  pines,  from 
which  position  they  charged  with  the  33d  Virginia 
regiment  in  the  direction  of  that  section  of  Ricketts' 
battery  farthest  South.  On  reaching  the  guns,  beino- 
in  a  very  exposed  position,  they  fell  back. 


52 


THIRTY-THIRD  VIRGINIA  VOLUNTEERS COL.    A.   C.   GUM- 
MING. 

This  regiment  took  its  first  position  in  the  pines, 
immediatel}^  to  the  left  of  the  2d  Virginia  regiment, 
Col.  Allen,  and  charged  the  enemy,  who  Avere  seek- 
ing to  avail  themselves  of  the  pines  to  the  left  of 
our  artillery,  in  order  to  silence  and  capture  it. 
They  drove  them  back  in  the  direction  of  the  two  sec- 
tions of  Ricketts'  battery  farthest  to  the  left,  driv- 
ing them  from  the  guns,  when  they  found  from  their 
exposure  to  a  terrific  fire  from  the  enemy  occupying 
the  road,  it  was  best  to  fall  back,  which  they  did, 
over  many  of  their  own  men,  wdio  had  fallen  in  the 
desperate  and  unequal  conflict,  and  a  far  greater 
number  of  the  enemy  whom  they  had  slain. 

FORTY-NINTH    VIRGINIA     REGIMENT COLONEL    WILLIAM 

SMITH. 

This  regiment  bivouacked  on  the  Lewis  Farm,  on 
the  night  of  the  20th.  Early  on  the  morning  of  the 
21st  it  took  position  a  little  above  the  Lewis  Ford, 
just  at  the  mouth  of  Young's  Branch.  This  posi- 
tion it  maintained,  without  firing  a  gun,  until  early 
in  the  afternoon,  when  it  was  ordered  to  march  to- 
wards the  Henry  House,  and  take  position  on  the 
extreme  left  of  our  line  which  was  directly  in  front 
of  the  Rickett's  battery.  Scarcely  had  they  taken 
position,  before  they  were  charged  upon  by  the 
enemy's  flanking  column.  They  immediately  re- 
turned the  charge  by  a  shout,  a  rush  forward,  and  a 


53 

well  directed  fire,  driving  their  assailants  before 
them.  They  moved  forward  for  two  hundred  yards, 
when  the  smoke  and  dust  excluded  the  sight  of  all 
surrounding  objects.  They  were  halted  until  this 
should  clear  away,  throwing  themselves  in  the 
meantime  upon  the  ground,  and  loading  and  firing 
at  will.  When  the  dust  and  smoke  cleared  away 
a  little,  they  found  themselves  within  fifty  steps  of 
the  Ricketts'  Battery,  which  they  charged  upon  im- 
mediately and  captured.  They  stood  awhile  among 
the  artillery,  many  of  the  men  resting  their  guns 
upon  the  cannon  wheels,  as  they  fired,  for  some 
minutes,  when  it  was  ascertained  the  enemy  were 
ensconced  in  the  road,  which  was  much  washed  out, 
the  banks  of  which  afforded  them  perfect  protection 
against  their  foe  :  and  they  fell  back,  with  a  loss  in 
killed  and  wounded  of  one-fourth  of  their  men. 
This  was  the  first  charge  made  by  any  of  our  infantry 
upon  this  battery ;  but  from  a  description  of  its  con- 
dition given  by  these  men,  when  they  reached  it, 
there  was  evident  proof  of  a  previous  charge  upon  it 
by  the  cavalry,  which  had  killed  enough  of  their 
horses  and  cannoniers  to  prevent  its  removal  or 
operation  with  much  success. 

TWENTY-EIGHTH     REGIMENT      VIRGINIA     VOLUNTEERS 

COLONEL  ROBERT  F.   PRESTON. 

This  regiment  was  thrown  out  as  skirmishers  on 
the  night  of  the  20th  towards  Cub  Run  Bridge,  and 
early  on    the  morning    of  the    21st  returned,  and 


54 

crossing  Bull  Run  a  few  hundred  yards  below  Ball's 
Ford,  marched  up  to  and  took  possession  of  said 
Ford  at  six  o'clock,  A.  M.  They  remained  there 
until  two  or  two-and-a-half,  P.  M.  They  then  ad- 
vanced, passing  North  of  the  Lewis  House  and  along 
the  road  that  leads  up  a  drain  from  the  Lewis  to  the 
Henry  House,  to  a  point  in  the  rear  of  the  nearest  oak 
wood  South  of  the  latter  house,  then  crossed  the 
drain  to  left  and  took  position  in  the  edge  of  the 
woods  about  half-past  three  o'clock.  Here  they  met 
and  repulsed  the  first  Michigan  regiment,  and  cap- 
tured Col.  Wilcox,  Capt.  Withrington  and  two  pri- 
vates, and  relieved  Capt.  Kemper,  who  had  been 
captured  by  some  Chasseurs  or  Zouaves,  (see  Kem- 
per's incident) ;  then  passed  along,  leaving  the  wood 
to  the  right  and  some  scattering  cedars  to  the  left,  to 
the  Sudley  Road,  filed  out  into  the  wood  left  of  the 
road  and  marched  to  the  top  of  the  hill,  where  the  ene- 
my had  taken  position  on  the  opposite  side  of  Young's 
Branch  from  the  Dogan  House,  thence  to  the  Henry 
House;  and  marched  in  pursuit  of  the  enemy,  passing 
by  the  Stone  House  to  the  woods  and  cornfield  beyond, 
on  the  Sudley  Road.  The  enemy  being  far  in  advance 
of  them,  they  returned  to  the  Turnpike  Road,  by 
the  Robinson  Gate,  along  the  road  to  the  Stone 
Bridge;  thence  to  Lewis's  House  and  to  camp  back 
of  AVeir's  House  near  Manassas.  The  mysterious 
appearance  of  this  regiment  at  Ball's  'Ford,  very 
much  embarrassed  the  movement  of  Schenck's  bri- 
gade in  that  direction.     Li  passing    near  the  Lewis 


55 

House,  Col.  Preston  met  many  carrying  off  the 
wounded,  very  much  discouraged,  and  who  gave 
him  a  most  deplorable  account  of  the  state  of  affairs 
on  the  battle  ground,  informing  him  that  we  were 
whipped,  and  only  one  of  them  all,  gave  him  reason 
to  hope  for  victory. 

He  hurried  on  his  men,  and  to  his  astonishment 
found  the  enemy's  lines  breaking  up  and  going  away 
in  all  directions,  wdien  he  arrived  in  sight  of  them. 
At  the  request  of  Col.  Preston,  the  folloAving  note 
is  made  : 

Wm.  P.  Douthat,  of  the  County  of  Botetourt, 
with  Frederick    Noel,   Ferdinand   Painter,   Charles 

Kemper,   Owen  Watson  and  Watson,  came 

to  this  regiment  on  the  morning  of  the  2 1st  and 
fought  through  the  whole  engagement. 

NINETEENTH     VIRGINIA     VOLUNTEERS COLONEL      J.      B. 

STRANGE. 

V 

This  regiment,  on  the  morning  of  the  21st,  was 
stationed  at  Lewis's  Ford,  where  the  company  offi- 
cers had  thrown  up  breastw^orks  during  the  two  pre- 
ceding days  and  nights,  under  orders  to  lie  in  the 
trenches  and  keep  concealed,  and  not  to  fire  unless 
the  enemy  came  within  one  hundred  yards.  Soon 
after  sunrise,  the  enemy's  skirmishers  came  in  sight, 
in  the  bottom  on  the  other  side ;  and  from  the  pines 
and  oakwood  beyond  they  fired  at  them  from"  their 
Parrott  guns  every  missile  that  could  be  fired  for 
the  space   of  three    hours,  both   from    their  cannon 


56 

and  skirmishers,  but  none  of  them  coming  within 
the  distance  above  named,  they  did  not  return  their 
fire  until  the  enemy  -svithdrew,  and  then  they  were 
ordered  about  three  o'clock,  P.  M.,  (all  except  Capt. 
Duke's  Company  from  Albemarle,  who  was  left  to 
hold  the  Ford,)  to  advance  upon  the  field.  Passing 
near  the  Lewis  House  they  marched  under  a  heavy 
fire  from  the  enemy  (not  aimed  at  them,  as  they 
w^ere  not  in  sight)  to  the  branch,  in  the  direction  of 
the  Henry  House,  The  balls  were  now  falling  so  thick 
around  them,  they  were  ordered  to  lie  down  awhile. 
They  then  advanced  into  the  fight  just  about  the 
turn  of  the  battle,  and  pursued  the  enemy  across  by 
the  Pittsylvanipc  House ;  across  Bull  Run,  by  the 
the  Ford  beyond  said  House,  and  then  up  the  Run  to 
Sudley ;  recrossing  the  run  at  Sudley,  they  march- 
ed along  the  road  to  the  Stone  House,  thence  through 
the  battle  ground  to  their  post  in  the  morning,  bring- 
ing with  them  many  prisoners.  These  men  deserve 
as  much  credit  for  maintaining  their  position  at 
Lewis's  Ford,  under  the  fire  of  the  enemy,  according 
to  orders  given  them,  as  though  they  had  been  in 
the  hottest  of  the  battle.  It  was  of  exceeding  im- 
portance to  the  success  of  our  forces,  that  the  di- 
vision of  the  enemy  stationed  near  that  Ford,  should 
be  prevented  from  crossing,  which  they  were  essay- 
ing all  the  morning  to  do,  and  which  w^ould  have 
thrown  them  on  the  rear  of  our  line  of  battle. 

EIGHTH  VIRGINIA COLONEL    EPPA  HUNTON. 

This  regiment  bivouacked  on  the  Lewis  farm  the 


57 

preceding  night,  and  took  position  on  the  morning 
of  the  21st,  by  a  strip  of  Avood  skirting  a  small 
branch  running  along  the  West  side  of  the  Lewis 
Hill  and  emptying  into  Bull  Run  above  the  Lewis 
Ford  and  within  a  few  yards  of  the  mouth  of  Young's 
Branch.  From  this  position  it  was  held  in  readiness 
to  march  at  a  moment's  notice,  to  the  support  of  the 
regiments  stationed  at  Ball's  or  Lewis's  Fords,  should 
the  enemy  attempt  to  cross  at  either  of  those  places. 
The  enemy  having  withdrawn  from  those  fords, 
Col.  Hunton  marched  his  regiment  directly  into  the 
fight,  drew  them  up  into  line  immediately  in  front 
of  the  enem}^  occupying  the  Henry  Hill,  and  charged 
with  other  regiments  engaged,  directly  towards  the 
Henry  House,  driving  the  enemy  from  his  position 
on  the  hill,  back  into  the  road ;  continuing  the 
charge,  passing  on  either  side  of  the  Henry  House, 
until  the  enemy  were  completely  routed  and  fled  in 
all  directions.  The  coolness,  courage  and  bravery 
evinced  by  these  men,  is  worthy  of  all  praise,  and 
is  a  sure  guaranty  that  in  all  future  conflicts  with 
the  enemy,  they  will  secure  fresh  laurels  and  an  in- 
creased portion  of  their  country's  gratitude. 

SECOND    SOUTH    CAROLINA    REGIMENT. 

This  regiment  received  orders  to  march  from  a 
point,  three  miles  distant  from  Lewis's  House,  on 
Bull  Run,  about  12  M.,  to  the  support  of  General 
Jackson's  brigade,  which  was  then  engaged  in  the 
battle.     They  left  the  Lewis  House   to  their  right 


58 

in  their  line  of  march,  and  formed  in  line  of  battle 
in  rear  of  the  woods  to  the  East  of  the  Henry  House; 
then  marched  to  the  Sudley  Road,  and  formed  on 
the  road,  the  left  occupying  the  road,  and  charged 
along  the  road,  which  had  been  a  safe  harbor  for  the 
enemy  for  some  time.  This  charge  was  so  destruc- 
tive that  he  quickly  fled  to  the  hill  West  of  the 
road,  when  he  again  rallied  his  forces  in  great  num- 
bers. This  regiment  immediately  wheeled  into  the 
road,  which  afforded  the  men  much  protection  from 
the  leaden  shower  now  poured  upon  them,  and  held 
their  position  against  fearful  odds,  until  all  the  avail- 
able forces  on  the  field,  and  expected  to  arrive,  got 
into  position,  engaging  the  whole  of  the  enemy's 
line,  and  produced  the  universal  rout  of  his  vast 
columns.  This  regiment  then  pressed  forward  in 
the  pursuit  along  the  Turnpike  Road,  to  the  bridge 
over  Cub  Run,  from  which  point  they  were  ordered 
back  to  the  Stone  Bridge,  where  they  bivouacked  all 
night. 

Colonel  Cash's  regiment  marched  and  fought 
in  conjunction  with  Colonel  Kershaw's  throughout 
the  da}^  and  it  is  deemed  unnecessary  to  make  a 
note  of  his  movements,  except  to  say  that  he  march- 
ed into  battle  on  his  left,  and  that  on  reaching  Cub 
Run  he  remained  with  his  regiment,  aiding  in  secur- 
ing the  valuable  capture  of  men,  artillery,  arms, 
wagons,  ambulances,  provisions,  &c.,  &c.,  until  one 
o'clock  on  the  morninsr  of  the  22d. 


59 


EIGHTEENTH    VIRGINIA    REGIMENT COLONEL  ROBERT  E. 

WITHERS. 

This  regiment  marched  from  Camp  Walker  near 
Manassas,  arriving  at  Lewis's  House  at  about  one 
o'clock,  P.  M.,  and  drew  up  in  line  of  bat- 
tle and  marched  in  line  directly  to  the  Henry  House; 
was  ordered  'to  halt  awhile  about  half  way,  in  rear 
of  the  pines  East,  then  marched  forward  again  just 
through  the  pines ;  found  themselves  immediately  in 
rear  of  other  regiments  and  halted  fifteen  to  twenty- 
five  minutes,  and  from  three  to  four  o'clock  charged 
the  enemy,  who  occupied  both  sides  of  the  road 
leading  from  Sudley  to  Manassas.  They  maintained 
their  ground  until  the  enemy  retreated  beyond  the 
hill  towards  Dogan's,  took  a  battery  of  six  rifled 
pieces,  from  which  the  enemy  had  been  driven  several 
times  before,  and  some  strange  officer  turned  two  of 
them  upon  the  retreating  enemy.  They  continued 
a  short  distance  in  pursuit,  then  marched  through 
the  battle  ground  South  of  the  Turnpike  Road, 
crossing  Bull  Run  a  short  distance  below  the  Stone 
Bridge,  and  took  position  on  the  road  East  of  the 
bridge,  for  the  purpose  of  cutting  ofl'  the  enemy's 
retreat,  but  finding  the  enemy  had  already  passed 
that  point,  and  were  some  distance  ahead  of  them, 
they  returned  to  Camp  Walker. 

THE  SIXTH    NORTH    CAROLINA    STATE    TROOPS COLONEL 

FISHER, 

Arrived  at  Manassas  on  the  morning  of  the  21st, 


GO 

hurried  by  forced  march  to  the  battle  field ;  passed 
the  Lewis  House,  and,  by  a  direct  route,  reached  a 
position  near  the  head  of  a  small  drain,  just  to  the 
left  of  this  drain  in  the  woods,  the  most  Southern 
section  of  Ricketts'  battery  in  their  front.  Here 
they  met  the  advancing  columns  of  the  enemy's 
right  flank,  consisting  of  infintry  and  artillery, 
which  soon  engaged  their  special  attention,  and,  in 
co-operation  with  other  regiments,  they  eventually 
succeeded  in  capturing  the  battery.  The  gallantry 
and  courage  displayed  by  these  troops  on  that  occa- 
sion are  worthy  of  all  praise  ;  none  showed  signs  of 
fear,  but  each  vied  with  the  other  to  assist  in  secur- 
ing the  prize.  At  each  volley  of  their  musketry 
the  enemy  bit  the  dust,  and,  at  last,  no  longer  able 
to  withstand  the  onslaught,  fled  precipitately  from 
the  field.  The  heroic  Colonel  Fisher  fell,  shot 
through  the  head,  and  died  immediately.  Lieutenant 
Mangum  was  also  mortally  wounded,  near  the  spot 
wdiere  his  Colonel  fell.  The  regiment  suffered 
severely,  both  in  officers  and  men. 

GENERAL  ELZEy's  BRIGADE,  COMPOSED  OF  THE  TENTH 
VIRGINIA  REGIMENT,  COL.  S.  B.  GIBBONS,  THE  BALTI- 
MORE REGIMENT  AND REGIMENT. 

The  regiments  of  this  brigade  having  marched 
together  and  acted  in  conjunction  throughout  the 
21st,  it  is  thought  best  not  detach  them  in  this  no- 
tice of  their  movements.  They  marched  from  Ma- 
nassas early  in  the  afternoon  of  the  21st,  and  took 


61 

their  first  position,  sometime  in  the  afternoon,  in 
rear  of  the  woods.  South  of  the  Henry  House,  in- 
tending to  charge  through  the  woods  towards  the 
house,  but  finding  other  regiments  charging  in  that 
direction  and  the  enemy  falling  back  to  the  hill  be- 
tween the  Chinn  and  Dogan  House,  they  marched 
through  the  woods  lying  West  of  the  Sudley  Road, 
and  charged  them,  advancing  in  the  charge  over  the 
hill,  and  through  the  brush  on  the  opposite  side  of 
the  hill  to  Young's  Branch.  On  reaching  this 
branch  the  enemy  were  fleeing  rapidly  across  by 
Dogan's  House  and  over  the  surrounding  hills. 
They  reached  Young's  Branch  about  four  o'clock, 
and  returned  to  the  Henry  House,  where  they  met 
President  Davis.  They  pursued  the  enemy  to  the 
Stone  Bridge,  expecting  them  to  seek  the  Turnpike 
about  that  place,  but  seeing  nothing  of  them  they 
returned  to  Manassas  the  same  night. 

GEN.  (then  col.)  J.  A.  EARLy's  BRIGADE,  COMPOSED  OF 
THE  TWENTY-FOURTH  VIRGINIA,  COL.  EARLY  ;  SEVENTH 
VIRGINIA,  COL.  KEMPER,  AND  SEVENTH  LOUISIANA, 
COL.   HAYES. 

The  regiments  of  this  brigade  marched  and  acted  in 
conjunction  all  day.  They  were  stationed,  on  the 
morning  of  the  21st,  near  McLean's  Ford,  which  is 
about  one  and-a-half  miles  belovf  Blackburn's  Ford, 
on  Bull  Run.  From  this  point  the}^  marched  to  the 
battle  ground,  by  no  road,  but  through  the  fields, 
which  contributed    no    little   to    the    fatigue   of  the 


62 

march,  passing  South  of  the  Lewis  house,  and  North 
of  Conrad's  house,  leaving  the  wood  West  of  the 
Sudley  Readjust  to  their  right,  and  took  a  position 
at  Chinn's  Spring  not  far  from  Chinn's  House. 
They  here  engaged  the  enemy  who  occupied  the  hill 
between  them  and  the  Dogan  House.  The  enemy 
quickly  retreated  to  the  wood  and  pines  that  stood 
on  the  Northwest  side  of  said  hill,  skirtino;  Younor's 
Branch.  Advancing  upon  them  here,  they  quickly 
retreated  in  great  confusion,  and  in  all  practical  di- 
rections. They  pursued  them,  passing  a  little  West 
of  the  Dogan  House,  by  the  Matthews'  house  and 
Pittsylvania  House,  to  the  ford  below,  and  there 
bivouacked  all  night.  Having  performed  this  mar- 
vellous day's  work,  these  men  reposed,  necessarily, 
upon  empty  stomachs  all  night,  not  knowing  but  that 
before  the  morning,  they  would  be  compelled  to  re- 
sist the  passage  of  heavy  columns  of  the  enemy. 
But  knowing  certainly  that  they  would  have  to  march 
some  7  or  S  miles  next  morning,  at  least,  before  they 
could  relieve  their  hunger. 

CAPT.  PHILIP  li.   STANNARd'S  BATTERY FOUR  GUNS. 

This  battery  arrived  at  the  Junction,  from  Win- 
chester, late  in  the  evening  of  the  20th  July,  and  re- 
mained near  jMitchell's  Ford  that  night,  and  was 
ordered  early  on  the  morning  of  the  21st  to  Lewis's 
House  and  there  divided  into  two  sections — two  guns 
taking  a  position  not  ascertained,  for  a  short  time, 
and  then  joined  the   other  two,  which  had  marched 


to  a  point  indicated  on  the  map,  and  commenced 
firing  on  the  enemy  in  the  direction  of  the  Dogan, 
the  Henry  and  the  Robinson  Houses,  who  were 
marching  in  heavy  columns  towards  and  to  the  West 
of  the  Henry  House,  and  here  continued  firing  in 
conjunction  w^ith  other  batteries  for  many  hours, 
keeping  the  enemy  in  check,  and  greatly  impairing 
the  elfectiveness  of  his  batteries  until  their  design 
was  fully  understood,  and  arrangements  made  for 
their  defeat.  They  were  then  ordered  to  retire  to  the 
Lewis  House,  and  fire  upon  the  enemy  as  they  re- 
treated. Their  ammunition  being  well  nigh  ex- 
hausted (one  of  their  caissons  having  exploded 
during  the  engagement)  but  two  of  the  guns  were 
used  for  this  purpose,  from  the  hill  near  the  Lewis 
House,  in  direction  of  Yanpclt's,  to  w^hich  the  ene- 
my responded  from  a  high  point  in  the  Turnpike  Road 
near  Vanpelt's,  killing  Lieut.  Edgar  Macon.  The 
service  rendered  by  this  battery  is  incalculable. 

CAPT.  A.  L.  Rogers'  battery — four  guns. 

Two  of  the  guns  took  position,  commanded  by 
Lieut.  Henry  Heaton  on  a  hill  near  the  mouth  of 
Young's  Branch  and  commenced  firing  on  the  enemy 
early  in  the  morning,  who  had  taken  position  in  the 
woods  over  the  Run  and  at  the  distance  of  five  or 
six  hundred  yards  from  Lewis's  Ford,  and  opened  a 
most  destructive  fire  on  the  infantry  placed  here  for 
the  protection  of  the  Ford.  These  two  guns  main- 
tained this  position  until  carl}^  in  the  afternoon,  when 


64 

the  enemy  ceased  firing  and  withdrew.  They  then 
took  position  with  the  batteries  East  of  the  Henry 
House,  and  continued  until  all  were  ordered  off  the 
field.  The  other  two  guns,  commanded  by  Capt. 
Rogers,  took  position  near  the  road  and  on  the  point 
of  the  hill  where  the  road  passes  Vanpelt's,  com- 
manding the  Stone  Bridge,  and  commenced  firing 
about  10  o'clock,  A.  M.  at  the  enemy,  across  the 
Stone  Bridge,  until  their  ammunition  w^as  exhausted, 
and  then  retired  to  the  top  of  the  hill,  on  the  oppo- 
site side  of  Young's  Branch. 

CAPT.  Pendleton's  battery — four  guns. 

This  battery  took  position  East  of  the  Henry 
House,  along  with  the  Washington  Artillery,  Stan- 
nard's  and  others,  about  half-past  12  M,  and  remain- 
ed two-and-a-half  hours  there,  then  changed  posi- 
tion to  a  hill  Northwest  of  the  Lewis  House  and 
fired  at  the  enemy,  who  was  retreating  through  the 
large  body  of  woods,  through  which  the  Turnpike 
runs,  and  which  lies  about  half-a-mile  East  of  the 
Stono  Bridge. 

capt.  al::urtis's  battery. 

This  battery  took  its  position  East  of  an  opening 
in  the  woods  skirting  a  small  branch  running  below 
the  Robinson  Hill,  commanding  the  said  hill,  with 
one  of  Capt.  Pendleton's  guns,  immediately  on  the 
right,  and  the  other  three  of  Pendleton's  and  several 
other  batteries  off  a  little   to  the   left.     On   the  ap- 


65 

pearance  of  the  enemy  on  the  Robinson  Hill,  this 
battery  and  the  gun  of  Pendleton's  battery  on  the 
right,  opened  a  deudly  fire  upon  them,  and  drove 
them,  in  much  confusion  and  with  considerable  loss, 
to  Young's  Branch  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  hill. 
They  continued  to  operate  with  decided  effect  upon 
the  enemy  wherever  visible  from  their  position,  for 
many  hours — causing  the  entire  brigade  commanded 
by  Keyes  to  retire  from  the  fight  altogether,  and 
seek  the  shelter  of  the  hills  on  Bull  Run,  and  con- 
tributing with  the  batteries  on  their  left,  to  hold  in 
check,  th^  overwhelming  flanking  columns  of  Heint- 
zelman.  Hunter  and  Sherman,  until  the  Confederate 
infantry  were  in  position  to  repel  them,  when  they 
were  ordered  to  other  positions,  in  the  rear,  fron^ 
which  they  did  much  destruction  to  the  masses  of  re- 
treating Federals,  as  they  fled  from  the  battlefield. 

kemper'?  battery^four  guns. 

Capt.  D.  Kemper  received  orders  to  march  from 
Mitchell's  Ford  at  one  o'clock  ;  passed  Lewis's  House, 
to  the  road  leading  from  Sudley  to  Manassas,  strikino^ 
ihe  road  just  back  of  the  wood  South  of  the  Henry 
House — there  left  one  gun  commanding  the  road  to 
Sudley,  and  took  position  w^ith  the  other  three  on 
the  right  of  the  road  about  half-way  between  the 
road  and  Ricketts'  battery,  now  finally  captured  at 
about  half-past  three,  P.  M,  and  fired  142  rounds  on 
the  enemy,  who  had  retreated  to  the  high  hill  West 
of  the  road — from    Tvhich   position   the    enemy  was 


66 

soon  compelled  to  retreat.  Capt.  Kemper  then  laid 
hold  of  two  of  the  guns  of  Ricketts'  battery,  Avliich 
Tvere  of  longer  range  than  his  own,  and  placed  them 
in  position,  and  used  them  upon  the  retreating  ene- 
my with  dreadful  efiect.  He  then  marched  with  his 
battery  by  the  Robinson  House  and  Turnpike  Road, 
repeatedly  placing  his  guns  in  position  and  sending 
deadly  missiles  ahead  at  columns  of  the  enemy  re- 
treating before  him,  and  when  in  reach  of  Cub  Run 
Bridge,  over  Avhich  the  enemy  were  passing  in  great 
numbers,  he  fired  upon  them  ;  the  first  ball  strik- 
ing a  team  about  half-way  the  bridge,  upsetting  the 
wagon  in  such  a  manner  as  perfectly  to  block  up  the 
bridge,  and  by  a  few  well  directed  shots,  made  the 
whole  scene  about  the  bridge,  in  the  language  of 
the  official  report  of  one  of  the  Federal  officers — "a 
mass  of  ruins." 

THE  STAUNTON  ARTILLERY,  CAPT.  J.  D.  IMBODEN. 

This  battery  passed  the  Lewis  House  on  the  morn- 
ing of  the  2 1st  July;  hearing  heavy  firing  in  the 
direction  of  the  Stone  House,  on  the  Turnpike  Road, 
and  supposing  the  enemy  to  have  advanced  beyond 
that  point,  took  position  on  the  ascent  of  the  hill, 
after  crossing  the  branch  near  the  Lewis  House. 
After  ascertaining  that  the  enemy  had  not  advanced 
as  far  as  he  supposed,  the  battery  was  again  put  in 
mption,  passing  through  a  small  corn  field,  and 
throiagh  an  opening  in  the  pines  to  a  position  to  the 
North  find  right    of  the   Henry  House.     Her§   th§ 


^  \ 


67 

enemy's  columns  first  came  in  view,  and  for  nearly 
three  hours  a  brisk  engagement  was  kept  up  with 
batteries  and  upon  open  columns  of  the  enemy  in 
position  and  advancing  upon  the  hill  North  of  the 
Turnpike  Road,  and  between  the  Dogan  and  the 
Matthews  Houses ;  being  unsupported  by  either  ar- 
tillery or  infantry  (save  for  a  brief  period  by  two 
pieces  of  the  Washington  Artillery),  and  the  enemy 
advancing  in  heavy  force,  the  battery  was  limbered 
up  and  fell  back  to  a  hill  about  four  hundred  yards 
distant  and  formed  in  line  with  the  Washington, 
Leesburg,  Stannard's  and  Pendleton's  batteries ;  (one 
of  the  guns  was  disabled  and  lost  during  the  last 
change  of  position).  Firing  was  kept  up  about  three 
quarters  of  an  hour,  when  the  ammunition  becoming 
exhausted,  the  battery  was  compelled  to  retire  from 
the  fight. 

CAPT.  H.  G.  Latham's  battery — four  guns. 

Two  of  these  guns,  under  command  of  Capt.  La- 
tham and  Lieutenant  Folks,  were  placed  in  position 
at  Lewis's  Ford,  and  opened  fire  on  the  enemy  at  7 
o'clock,  (Schenck's  brigade,)  who  had  commenced 
firing  upon  the  infantry  at  the  Ford  from  the  wood 
beyond.  These  are  represented  as  the  first  guns 
that  fired  on  the  enemy — and  maintained  this  posi- 
tion until  about  2  o'clock,  P.  M.,  and  then  changjed 
position  to  a  hill  in  the  rear  of  the  ford,  where  they 
were  joined  by  the  other  two  guns  which  had  taken 
position    under  command   of  Lieuts.    Davison    and 


Leftwich,  on  a  hill  near  the  Turnpike  road,  com- 
manding  the  Stone  Bridge,  on  TNhich  point  the  enemy 
opened  fire  at  6  A.  M.,  from  the  head  of  the  field 
below  the  bridge  and  beyond  the  run ;  but  having 
orders  to  remain  concealed  until  the  enemy  came 
within  canister  range,  they  did  not  return  their  fire. 
The  enemy  not  coming  within  canister  range,  they 
were  ordered  to  change  position  to  the  point  near  the 
Pittsylvania  House,  about  half-a-mile  North  of  the 
Stone  Bridge.  After  arriving  at  this  position,  they 
discovered  the  main  body  of  the  enemy  had  passed 
for  the  purpose  of  flanking  our  troops,  and  they  were 
ordered  to  the  Turnpike  and  marched  up  the  road  to 
Robinson's  Gate,  one  gun  taking  position  in  the 
field  and  on  a  hill  North  of  and  not  far  from  this 
gate,  and  fired  upon  the  enemy  approaching  by  the 
Sudiey  Road,  the  head  of  whose  column  appeared 
back  of  the  Matthews  House;  the  other  passed  on 
and  took  position  on  the  hill  in  rear  of  the  Stone 
House  and  near  the  road  from  Sudiey,  and  fired  on 
the  enemy  approaching  across  the  hills  to  the  right 
and  left  of  the  Sudiey  Road,  and  along  that  road; 
and,  supported  by  several  regiments  of  infantry,  held 
them  in  check  for  more  than  an  hour,  and  until  they 
were  reinforced  by  artillery,  infantry  and  cavalry^ 
which  took  position  about  five  hundred  yards  in  their 
rear.  They  then  withdrew  under  the  fire  often  of  the 
enemy's  guns  and  took  position  South  of  the  Turn- 
pike, on  a  hill  side.  From  this  position  they  opened 
again  on  the  enemy's  advancing   column,  until  they 


69 

obtained  their  last  position  with  two  guns.  Then 
changed  position  to  the  right  of  batteries  on 
the  right,  and  maintained  this  last  position  until 
their  ammunition  was  exhausted ;  they  then  with- 
drew and  joined  Latham  ;  all  four  of  the  guns  bein^r 
now  together  at  the  position  last  taken  by  Latham, 
fired  on  the  enemy  to  the  left  of  Ball's  Ford ;  then 
changed  position  to  a  point  on  the  next  hill  West, 
and  opened  fire  on  8chenck,  who  was  approaching 
the  Stone  Bridge,  until  he  withdrew ;  then  fired  to 
left  oblique  upon  a  portion  of  the  enemy  who  were 
moving  from  above  towards  the  Bridge,  under  cover 
of  the  hill,  end  drove  them  back  ;  continued  firing 
from  this  point  until  the  close  of  the  fight,  and  upon 
the  retreatino-  enemy. 

THE  WASHINGTON  ARTILLERY. 

Two  rifled  pieces  of  this  artillery  took  position  on 
the  morning  of  the  21st,  to  the  right  of  North  from 
the  Henry  House  near  Imboden's  first  position,  about 
half-past  nine  o'clock,  and  fired  for  some  time  at  the 
enemy  as  he  first  came  in  sight  along  the  Sudley 
Road,  until,  discovering  the  enemy  had  got  the 
range  of  their  position,  they  changed  it  to  a  point  a 
short  distance  oft'  to  their  right  and  renewed  the  fire 
a  short  time  in  the  same  direction,  and  then  fell  back 
and  joined  three  other  guns  of  the  battery  which 
were  all  that  had  marched  to  the  battlefield,  and  took 
position  with  other  batteries  nearly  East  of  the 
Henry  House,  and  fired  at  the   enemy  whenever  he 


70 

could  be  seen  until  half-past  two  to  three  P.  M.  and 
until  all  the  batteries  were  ordered  off  the  ground. 
Gen.  Jackson  then  ordered  one  rifled  piece  to  take 
position  in  the  orchard  North  of  the  Lewis  House 
and  fire  on  the  enemy  as  he  retreated  along  the 
Turnpike  East  of  the  Stone  Bridge.  This  battery 
being  at  the  left  of  the  batteries  in  position  East  of 
the  Henry  House  received  a  heavy  fire  from  the 
Brooklyn  Chasseurs,  from  a  point  in  the  pines  to 
their  left. 

FIFTH     SOUTH    CAROLINA    REGIMENT— COL.    M.    JENKINS. 

This  regiment  was  one  of  three  that  composed 
the  brigade  of  Gen.  Jones,  and  was  stationed  on  the 
morning  of  the  21st  at  McLean's  Ford,  and  about 
three  o'clock,  P.  M.,  Gen.  Jones  ordered  his  brigade 
over  the  Run  to  charge  upon  the  enemy's  position, 
Avhich  consisted  of  two  brigades  and  some  eight  or 
ten  pieces  of  artillery  stationed  near  the  woods  on  the 
road  leading  from  Mitchell's  and  Blackburn's  Fords 
to  Centreville.  The  enemy  stood  the  charge  but  a 
few  minutes  and  fell  back  under  the  fire  of  Jones' 
brigade,  and  retreated  hurriedly  towards  Centreville. 
Col.  Jenkins's  regiment  occupying  a  very  exposed 
position  in  the  charge,  suffered  very  severely  for  the 
short  time  they  were  engaged,  losing  about  seventy- 
five  men  in  killed  and  wounded  within  the  space  of 
five  minutes. 


71 


IItII     north     CAROLINA     REGIMENT COL.     KIRKLAND. 

This  re<]riment  was  stationed  with  the  other  re^i- 
ments  of  Gen.  Bonham's  brigade  at  Mitchell's  Ford. 
They  laid  under  the  fire  of  the  enemy  until  late  in 
the  day,  when  they  left  their  trenches  and  pursued 
the  enemy  to  within  three  quarters  of  a  mile  of 
Centreville,  and  were  then  thrown  out  in  the  direc- 
tion of  Cub  Run  Bridge,  remaining  in  that  vicinity 
all  night,  capturing  many  prisoners  and  other  val- 
uables of  the  enemy. 


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INCIDENTS. 

There  are  many  incidents  of  this  battle  that 
should  be  mentioned  in  connection  with  this  account 
of  it.  but  which  are  omitted  because  of  the  difficulty 
of  doing  exact  justice  in  every  case.  There  were 
three  noble  boys,  of  whose  daring  the  writer  has 
heard  from  sources  reliable  in  his  estimation,  of 
which  he  will  make  a  record,  simply  because  they 
are  mere  boys. 

A  boy  belonging  to  the  Fourth  Alabama  Regi- 
ment, by  the  name  of  Oakley,  whose  parents  reside 
near  Huntsville,  after  the  retreat  was  ordered  from 
the  Matthews  House,  remained  a  moment  behind  to 
do  a  kindness  to  a  wounded  comrade,  who  was  shot 
in  that  desperate  conflict,  and  was  captured,  and, 
after  taking  his  musket  from  him,  the  enemy  con- 
ducted him  to  the  rear.  The  enemy  soon  became 
engaged  again  in  a  skirmish  with  our  troops,  during 
which  Oakley  picked  his  opportunity  as  he  passed 
near  some  bushes,  and  seizing  the  musket  of  a  fallen 
Yankee,  ran  into  the  bushes  and  got  away.  While 
seeking  to  join  his  regiment,  he  came  in  contact 
with  a  wounded  Federal  officer,  and  captured  and 
conducted  him  safely  to  our  lines. 

Another  boy,  the  son  of  William  T.  Early, 
Esq.,  near  Charlottesville,  Virginia,  having  received 
a  military  education,  was  employed  to  go  to  Ma- 


74 

nassas  to  drill  the  militia  that  had  been  ordered  to 
that  place.  While  there  the  battle  of  the  21st  came 
off.  That  gallant  young  fellow  shouldered  his  mus- 
ket, walked  to  the  battle  ground,  some  six  miles 
distant,  there  fell  in  with  Colonel  Smith's  regiment 
and  fought  with  them  through  a  most  desperate 
charge  upon  the  enemy,  and  at  one  time  went  some 
distance  in  advance  of  the  regiment,  and  concealing 
himself  until  a  Federal  officer  rode  forward  and 
came  near  him,  he  fired  upon  him  and  made  him 
bite  the  dust.  The  smoke  of  his  gun  drew  the  fire 
of  a  whole  regiment,  one  ball  striking  his  cap  and 
another  his  wrist,  inflicting  a  slight  wound. 

A  third  boy,  named  Elliot,  of  humble  parents,  of 
Fauquier  county,  Virginia,  joined  the  Fauquier 
Guards  against  the  earnest  entreaties  of  his  parents 
and  friends,  and  after  a  gallant  charge  upon  the 
enemy  on  the  Henry  Hill,  and  capturing  the  Bat- 
tery of  Ricketts,  in  retreating  through  the  dense 
pines  got  separated  from  his  company  and  came  in 
contact  with  a  Chasseur  or  Zouave,  who  had  also 
got  separated  from  his  company,  and  the  two  with 
one  accord  engaged  each  other.  Young  Elliot 
proved  the  better  man  and  left  his  antagonist  welter- 
ing in  his  blood. 

CAPTURE    AND    RELIEF    OF    CAPTAIN    KEMPER. 

Captain  Delaware  Kemper's  artillery  was  attached 
on  the  21st,  to  the  command  of  Colonel  Kershaw  of 


75 

South   Carolina,  and  marched  with  Col.  Kershaw's 
command  to  the  battle  ground,  when  the  battle  was 
raging  on  the  Henry  Hill.     Colonel  Kershaw  took 
position   on  the   Sudley  Road,  just   in   rear  of  the 
skirt  of  woods  South  of  the  Henry  House.      Seeing 
no   position  for  artillery,  Kemper  was   ordered  to 
remain  South   of   the  woods  until  Kershaw  should 
drive  the  enemy  out  of  the  woods  and  secure  a  posi- 
tion for  his  artillery  on  the  other  side,  from  which 
he   could  play  his  artillery  successfully   upon    the 
enemy.     Kershaw  found  the  woods  full  of  Zouaves 
and   Chasseurs,   and   made   a   furious   charge   upon 
them;  whereupon,    many    of   them    fell    killed    and 
wounded  and  many  unhurt.     Kershaw's  men  passed 
over  them,   supposing   them   to   be   dead,  but  after 
passing  them  they  arose  and  secreted  themselves  in 
some  small  cedars  that  stand  just  in  the  rear  of  the 
woods.     Kemper  now  rode  briskly  to  the  front,  and 
inquired  of  Kershaw  if  he  could  give  him  a  position. 
Kershaw  pointed  him  to  a  position,  when  he  hurried 
back   for    his    battery.     In    returning    he    passed 
through  the  small  cedars  which  concealed  the  Chas- 
seurs, and  they  suddenly  arose  all  around  him,  and, 
pointing  their  guns  at  him,  demanded  his  surrender. 
He  saAV  no  chance  of  escape  and  at  once  dismounted 
and   called  for  an   officer  to   take   his   sword.     No 
officer    being    present,   Kemper    demanded    that    he 
should  be  taken  to  one,  insisting  on  his  right  to  sur- 
render  his   sword  into   the  hands   of  none  but   an 
officer.     They  replied,  ''we   do  not  know  where  to 


76 

find  an  officer."  *•'  Take  me,"  said  Kemper,  **  any- 
where, I  Avill  go  with  you."  In  looking  around  they 
saw  a  regiment  not  far  off,  and  one  of  them  exclaimed, 
"there  is  a  regiment  of  our  men,  let  us  take^him  to 
them."  To  this  Kemper  consented ;  and,  on  nearing 
this  regiment  they  found  it  to  be  the  Twenty-eighth 
"Virginia.  Ascertaining  their  mistake,  they  left 
their  prisoner  and  ran  for  dear  life.  This  timely 
rescue,  as  the  reader  has  doubtless  learned,  resulted 
most  fortunately  to  us,  and  most  disastrously  to  the 
enemy. 


AN   INCIDENT 


BY    M.    L.    WIIITTEN, 

Chaplain  of  the  Ninth  Alabama  Regiment. 

Upon  Virff'niiii'a  sacred  soil 

Two  hostile  armies  met, 
The  one  was  struggling  to  be  free 

From  tyranny's  foul  net ; 

The  other,  to  make  his  meshes  strong, 

And  bondage  to  complete, 
To  trample  dovn  the  freeman's  rights 

Beneath  the  tyrant's  feet. 

The  battle  hot  and  hotter  grew, 

The  leaden  hail  flew  fast, 
While  many  a  foeman  bit  the  ground 

And  quickly  breathed  his  last. 

The  tyrant's  hosts  in  wild  alarm 

Their  footsteps  backward  trod 
While  freedom's  sons  with  stalwart  arm 

Pursued  in  strength  of  God. 

By  chance  one  spied  a  fallen  foa 

The  death  shot  in  his  frame, 
The  purple  tide,  now  oozing  out. 

Was  quenching  life's  bright  flame. 

A  kindly  hand  his  wants  supplied 

And  cooled  his  heated  brow. 
"  Will  you,"  the  dying  foeman  cried, 

"  Before  my  God  now  bow. 

And  pray  for  nie  whose  spirit  soon 

Shall  leave  this  earthly  clod, 
And,  from  this  gory  battlefield^ 

Shall  go  to  ujeet  its  God  i  " 

With  cheeks  all  red  with  burning  shame. 

The  kind  one  then  dkl  say, 
"  Although  I  blush  to  own  the  truth, 

I  know  not  how  to  pray.  " 


78 

*Twa8  then  upon  his  pantiog  steed, 

In  liot  pursuit  up  rode, 
A  son  of  Old  Dotninion's  soi], 

Who  loved  and  served  the  Lord  ; 

And,  at  the  dying  foe's  request, 

He  bent  the  suppliant  knee. 
And  raised  his  voice  and  heart  to  God, 

While  Jesus  was  the  plea. 

And  while  his  strains,  in  eloquence, 

Eang  out  upon  the  air. 
And  soared  aloft,  like  incense  sweet, 

To  Him  who  heareth  prayer, — 

The  dying  foenian's  face  grew  calm. 
His  eye  with  love  grew  bright 

For  one,  who  but  an  hour  ago 
He  met  in  deadly  tight. 

He  strove  to  clasp  his  feeble  arms 
Around  the  suppliant's  neck, 

The  eilbrt  fur  too  feeble  proved, 
Alas,  they  were  too  weak. 

And  when  the  warm  and  ferrent  prayer 

In  simple  faith  had  ceased 
A  smile  remained  upon  the  lip. 

The  spirit  was  released. 

The  outstretched  arms,  too  feebly  raised. 

Were  folded  on  his  breast. 
The  stiffening  limbs  in  order  placed. 

The  spirit  was  released. 

With  heart  now  warm  with  love  divine, 

The  hero  onward  sped, 
Eeflecting  on  that  sun  bright  clime, 

Where  no  more  blood  is  shed. 

Longing  to  see  the  day  arrive 

When  war's  sad  notes  shall  cense. 

And  freemen's  efforts  shall  be  crowned 
By  long  continued  peace. 


GENERAL  BE\UREGARD'S  OFFICnL  REPORT  OF 
THE  BATTLE  OF  BULL  RUN,  ON  THE  18th  OF 
JULY,  186L 


Headquarters   1st  Corps  Ar>3y  of  the  ) 
Potomac,  Manassas,  August,  1861.      ) 

General  :  With  the  general  results  of  the  en- 
gagement between  several  brigades  of  my  command 
and  a  considerable  force  of  the  enemy,  in  the  vicinity 
of  Mitchell's  and  Blackburn's  Fords  of  Bull  Run, 
on  the  18th  ultimo,  you  were  made  duly  acquainted 
at  the  time  by  telegraph,  but  it  is  my  place  now  to 
submit  in  detail  the  operations  of  that  day. 

Opportunely  informed  of  the  determination  of  the 
enemy  to  advance  on  Manassas,  my  advanced  bri- 
gades, on  the  night  of  the  16th  of  July,  were  made 
aware  from  these  headquarters  of  the  impending 
movement,  and  in  exact  accordance  with  my  instruc- 
tions, a  copy  of  which  is  appended,  marked  "  A," 
their  withdrawal  within  the  lines  of  Bull  Run  was 
effected  with  complete  success  during  the  day  and 
night  of  the  ITth  ultimo,  in  the  face  of,  and  in  im- 
mediate proximity  to,  a  largely  superior  force,  despite 
a  well  planned,  avcU  executed  effort  to  cut  off  the 
retreat  of  Bonham's  Brigade — first  at  Germantown 
and  subsequently  at  Centreville,  whence  he  withdrew 


80 

by  my  direction,  after  midnight,  "without  collision, 
although  enveloped  on  three  sides  by  their  lines. 
This  movement  had  the  intended  effect  of  deceiving 
the  enemy,  as  to  my  ulterior  purposes,  and  led  him 
to  anticipate  an  unresisted  passage  of  Bull  Run. 

As  prescribed,  in  the  first  and  second  sections  of 
the  paper  herewith,  marked  **  A,"  on  the  morning 
of  the  17th  of  July,  my  troops  resting  on  Bull  Run, 
from  Union  Mills  Ford  to  the  Stone  Bridge,  a  dis- 
tance of  about  eight  miles,  were  posted  as  follows  : 

Ewell's  Brigade  occupied  a  position  in  vicinity  of 
Union  Mills  Ford.  It  consisted  of  Rhodes's  5th  and 
SeibePs  6th  Regiments,  of  Alabama,  and  Seymour's 
6th  Regiment  of  Louisiana  Yolunteers,  with  four 
12-pounder  howitzers,  of  Walton's  Battery,  and 
Harrison's,  Green's  and  Cabell's  Companies  of  Vir- 
ginia Cavalry. 

D.  R.  Jones'  Brigade  was  in  position  in  rear  of 
McLean's  Ford,  and  consisted  of  Jenkins'  5th  South 
Carolina,  and  Burt's  17th  and  Fetherstone's  18th 
Regiments  of  Mississippi  Volunters,  with  two  brass 
6 -pounder  guns  of  Walton's  Battery,  and  one  com- 
pany of  Cavalry. 

Longstreet's  Brigade  covered  Blackburn's  Ford, 
and  consisted  of  Moore's  First,  Garland's  Eleventh 
and  Corse's  Seventeenth  Regiments  Virginia  Vol- 
unteers, Avith  two  6-poundcr  brass  guns  of  Walton's 
Battery. 

Bonham's  Brigade  held  the  approaches  to  Mit- 
chell's Ford ;  it  was  composed  of  Kershaw's  2d,  Wil- 


81 

liams's  3d,  Bacon's  7tli  and  Cash's  8th  Regiments 
Bouth  Carolina  Volunteers ;  Shield's  and  Del.  Kem- 
per's Batteries,  and  Flood's,  Radford's,  Payne's, 
Ball's,  Wickham's  and  Powell's  Companies  of  Vir- 
ginia Cavalry,  under  Colonel  Radford. 

Cocke's  Brigade  held  the  fords  below  and  in 
vicinity  of  the  Stone  Bridge,  and  consisted  of  With- 
ers's  iSth,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Strange's  19th,  and 
R.  T.  Preston's  28th  Regiments,  with  Latham's  Bat- 
tery and  one  company  of  Cavalry,  Virginia  Volun- 
teers. 

Evans  held  my  left  flank  and  protected  the  Stone 
Bridge  crossing,  with  Sloan's  4tli  Regiment  South 
Carolina  Volunteers,  Wheat's  Special  Battalion, 
Louisiana  Volunteers,  four  6 -pounder  guns,  and  two 
companies  of  Virginia  Cavalry. 

Early's  Brigade,  consisting  of  Kemper's  7th,  Ear- 
ly's 24th  Regiment  of  Virginia  Volunteers,  Hays's 
7th  Regiment  Louisiana  Volunteers  and  three  rifle 
pieces  of  Walton's  Battery,  Lieutenant  Squires,  at 
first  were  held  in  position  in  the  rear  of,  and  as  a 
support  to,  Ewell's  Brigade,  until  after  the  develop- 
ment of  the  enemy,  in  heavy  offensive  force,  in  front 
of  Mitchell's  and  Blackburn's  Fords,  when  it  was 
placed  in  rear  of,  and  nearly  equi-distant  between 
McLean's,  Blackburn's  and  Mitchell's  Fords. 

Pending  the  development  of  the  enemy's  purpose, 
about  ten  (10)  o'clock,  A.  M.,  I  established  my  head- 
quarters at  a  central  point,  McLean's  farm  house, 
near  to  McLean's  and  Blackburn's  Fords,  where  two 


6-poundersof  Walton's  Battery  were  in  reserve ;  but 
subsequently,  during  the  engagement,  I  took  post  to 
the  left  of  my  reserve. 

Of  the  topographical  features  of  the  country  thus 
occupied,  it  must  suffice  to  say  that  Bull  Run  is  a 
small  stream,  running,  in  this  locality,  nearly  from 
West  to  East,  to  its  confluence  with  the  Occoquan 
River,  about  twelve  miles  from  the  Potomac,  and 
draining  a  considerable  scope  of  country,  from  its 
source  in  Bull  Run  Mountain,  to  within  a  short  dis- 
tance of  the  Potomac  at  Occoquan.  At  this  season, 
habitually  low  and  sluggish,  it  is,  however,  rapidly 
and  frequently  swollen  by  the  summer  rains  until 
unfordable.  The  banks  for  the  most  part  are  rocky 
and  steep,  but  abound  in  long  used  fords.  The 
country  on  either  side  much  broken  and  thickly - 
Avooded,  becomes  gently  rolling  and  open  as  it  re- 
cedes from  the  stream.  On  the  Northern  side  the 
ground  is  much  the  highest,  and  commands  the  other 
bank  completely.  Roads  traverse  and  intersect  the 
surrounding  country  in  almost  every  direction.  Fi- 
nally, at  Mitchell's  Ford  the  stream  is  about  equi- 
distant between  Centreville  and  Manassas,  some  six 
miles  apart. 

On  the  morning  of  the  18th,  finding  that  the 
enemy  Avas  assuming  a  threatening  attitude,  in  addi- 
tion to  the  regiments  whose  positions  have  already 
been  stated,  I  ordered  up  from  Camp  Pickens,  as  a 
reserve,  in  rear  of  Bonham's  Brigade,  the  effective 
men  of  six  companies  of  Kelly's  Eighth  Regiment 


83 

Louisiana  Volunteers,  and  Kirkland's  Eleventh  Re- 
giment North  Carolina  Volunteers,  which  having 
arrived  the  night  before,  en  route  for  Winchester,  I 
had  halted,  in  view  of  the  existing  necessities  of  the 
service.  Subsequently,  the  latter  was  placed  in 
position  to  the  left  of  Bonham's  Brigade. 

Appearing  in  heavy  force  in  front  of  Bon- 
ham's position,  the  enem}^  about  meridian,  opened 
fire  with  several  20-pounder  rifle  guns  from  a  hill, 
over  one  and  a-half  miles  from  Bull  Run.  At  the 
same  time  Kemper,  supported  by  two  companies  of 
light  infantry,  occupied  a  ridge  on  the  left  of  the 
Centreville  Road,  about  six  hundred  yards  in  advance 
of  the  ford,  with  two  6-pounder  (smooth)  guns.  At 
first  the  firing  of  the  enemy  was  at  random,  but  by 
half-past  12,  P.  M.,  he  had  obtained  the  range  of 
our  position,  and  poured  into  the  brigade  a  shower 
of  shot,  but  without  injury  to  us  in  men,  horses  or 
guns.  From  the  distance,  however,  our  guns  could 
not  reply  with  effect,  and  we  did  not  attempt  it, 
patiently  awaiting  a  more  opportune  moment. 

Meanwhile,  a  light  battery  was  pushed  forward  by 
the  enemy,  whereupon  Kemper  threw  only  six  solid 
shot,  with  the  effect  of  driving  back  both  the  battery 
and  its  supporting  force.  This  is  understood  to  have 
been  Ayres's  Battery,  and  the  damage  must  have 
been  considerable  to  have  obliged  such  a  retrograde 
movement  on  the  part  of  that  officer. 

The  purposes  of  Kemper's  position  having  now 
been  fully  served,  his  pieces  and  support  were  with- 


84 

drawn  across  Mitchell's  Ford,  to  a  point  previously 
designated,  and  which  commanded  the  direct  ap- 
proaches to  the  ford. 

About  half-past  1 1  o'clock,  A.  M.,  the  enemy  was 
discovered  by  the  pickets  of  Longstreet's  Brigade 
advancing  in  strong  columns  of  infantry,  with  artil- 
lery and  cavalry,  on  Blackburn's  Ford. 

At  meridian  the  pickets  fell  back,  silently,  before 
the  advancing  fire  across  the  ford,  which — as  well  as 
the  entire  southern  bank  of  the  stream,  for  the  whole 
front  of  Longstreet's  Brigade — was  covered  at  the 
water's  edge  by  an  extended  line  of  skirmishers, 
while  two  6-pounders  of  Walton's  Battery,  under 
Lieutenant  Garnett,  were  advantageously  placed  to 
command  the  direct  approach  to  the  ford,  but  with 
orders  to  retire  to  the  rear  a*  soon  as  commanded  by 
the  enemy. 

The  northern  bank  of  the  stream,  in  front  of 
Longstreet's  position,  rises  with  a  steep  slope  at 
least  fifty  feet  above  the  level  of  the  water,  leaving 
a  narrow  berme  in  front  of  the  ford  of  some  twenty 
yards.  This  ridge  formed  for  them  an  admirable 
natural  parapet,  behind  which  they  could,  and  did 
approach,  under  shelter,  in  heavy  force,  within  less 
than  one  hundred  yards  of  our  skirmishers.  The 
southern  shore  was  almost  a  plain,  raised  but  a  few 
feet  above  the  water  for  several  hundred  yards  ;  then 
rising  with  a  very  gradual,  gentle  slope,  and  undu- 
lations, back  to  Manassas.  On  the  immediate  bank 
there  was  a  fringe  of  trees,  but  with  little,  if  any. 


85 

undergrowth  or  slieltor,  while  on  the  other  shore 
there  were  timber  and  much  thick  brush  and  cover- 
ing. The  ground  in  rear  of  our  skirmishers  and 
occupied  by  our  artillery,  was  an  old  field  extending 
along  the  stream  about  one  mile,  and  immediately 
back  for  about  half  a  mile  to  a  border  or  skirting  of 
dense,  second  growth  pines.  The  wdiole  of  this 
ground  was  commanded  at  all  points  by  the  ridge 
occupied  by  the  enemy's  musketry,  as  w^as  also  the 
country  to  the  rear,  for  a  distance  much  beyond  the 
range  of  twenty  pounder  rilled  guns,  by  the  range 
of  hills  on  which  their  batteries  were  planted,  and 
which,  it  may  be  further  noted,  commanded  also  all 
our  approaches  from  this  direction  to  the  three 
threatened  fords. 

Before  advancing  his  infantry  the  enemy  main- 
tained a  fire  of  ritle  artillery  from  the  batteries  just 
mentioned  for  half  an  hour,  then  he  pushed  forward 
a  column  of  over  3,000  infantry  to  the  assault,  with 
such  a  weight  of  numbers  as  to  be  repelled  with  dif- 
ficulty by  the  comparative  small  force  of  not  more 
than  twelve  hundred  bayonets,  with  which  Brigadier 
General  Longstreet  mot  him  with  characteristic  vigor 
and  intrepidity.  Our  troops  engaged  at  this  time 
were  the  First  and  Seventeenth,  and  four  companies 
of  the  Eleventh  Regiment  Virginia  Volunteers  ;  their 
resistance  was  resolute,  and  maintained  with  a  stea- 
diness worthy  of  all  praise ;  it  was  successful,  and 
the  enemy  was  repulsed.  In  a  short  time,  however, 
he  returned  to  the  contest  with    increased  force  and 


86 

determination,  but  was  again  foiled  and  driven  back 
by  our  skinnishers  and  Longstreet's  reserve  compa- 
nies, which  were  brought  up  and  employed  at  the 
most  vigorously  assailed  points  at  the  critical  mo- 
ment. 

It  was  now  that  Brigadier  General  Longstreet 
sent  for  reinforcements  from  Early's  Brigade,  which 
I  had  anticipated  by  directing  the  advance  of  Gen. 
Early,  with  two  regiments  of  infantry  and  two  pieces 
of  artillery.  As  these  came  upon  the  field  the  ene- 
my had  advanced  a  third  time  with  heavy  numbers 
to  force  Longstreet's  position.  Hays's  Regiment,  7th 
Louisiana  volunteers,  which  was  in  advance,  was 
placed  on  the  bank  of  the  stream,  under  some  cover, 
to  the  immediate  right  and  left  of  the  ford,  relieving 
Corse's  Regiment,  17th  Virginia  Volunteers;  this 
was  done  under  a  heavy  fire  of  musketry,  with  pro- 
mising steadiness.  The  7th  Virginia,  under  Lieu- 
tenant Colonel  Williams,  was  then  formed  to  the 
right,  also  under  heavy  fire,  and  pushed  forward  to 
the  stream,  relieving  the  First  Regiment  Virginia 
volunteers.  At  the  same  time,  two  rifle  guns, 
brought  up  with  Early's  Brigade,  were  moved  down 
in  the  field  to  the  right  of  the  road,  so  as  to  be  con- 
cealed from  the  enemy's  artillery  by  the  girth  of 
timber  on  the  immediate  bank  of  the  stream,  and 
there  opened  fire,  directed  only  by  the  sound  of  the 
enemy's  musketry.  Unable  to  effect  a  passage,  the 
enemy  kept  up  a  scattering  fire  for  some  time.  Some 
of  our  troops  had    pushed    across  the    stream,  and 


87 

several  small  parties  of  Corse's  Regiment,  under 
command  of  Captain  Marje,  met  and  drove  the 
enemy  -with  the  bayonet ;  but  as  the  road-way  from 
the  ford  was  too  narrow  for  a  combined  movement  in 
force,  Gen.  Longstreet  recalled  them  to  the  South 
bank.  Meanwhile,  the  remainder  of  Early's  infan- 
try and  artillery  had  been  called  up — that  is,  six 
companies  of  the  24th  Regiment  Virginia  volunteers, 
under  Lieutenant  Colonel  Hairston,  and  five  pieces 
of  artillery,  one  rifle  gun  and  four  six  pounder  brass 
guns,  including  two  six-pounder  guns,  under  Lieu- 
tenant Garnett,  which  had  been  previously  sent  to 
the  rear  by  General  Longstreet.  This  infantry  was 
at  once  placed  in  position  to  the  left  of  the  ford,  in 
a  space  unoccupied  by  Hays,  and  the  artillery  was 
unlimbered  in  battery  to  the  right  of  the  road  in  a 
line  with  the  two  guns  already  in  action.  A  scat- 
tering firo  of  musketry  was  still  kept  up  by  the 
enemy  for  a  short  time,  but  that  w^as  soon  silenced. 
It  was  at  this  stage  of  the  affair  that  a  remarka- 
ble artillery  duel  was  commenced  and  maintained  on 
our  side  with  a  long  trained  professional  opponent, 
superior  in  the  character  as  well  as  in  the  number  of 
his  weapons,  provided  with  improved  munitions' and 
cver}^  artillery  appliance,  and  at  the  same  time  oc- 
cup3ang  the  commanding  position.  The  results  were 
marvellous  and  fitting  precursors  to  the  artillery 
achievements  of  the  twenty-first  of  July.  In  the 
outset,  our  fire  was  directed  against  the  enemy's  in- 
fantry, whose  bayonets,    gleaming    above    the  tree 


m 

tops,  alone  indicated  their  presence  and  force.  This 
drew  the  attention  of  a  battery  placed  on  a  high, 
commanding  ridge,  and  the  duel  began  in  earnest. 
For  a  time,  the  aim  of  the  adversary  was  inaccurate, 
but  this  was  quickly  corrected  and  shot  fell  and 
shells  burst  thick  and  fast  in  the  very  midst  of  our 
battery,  wounding,  in  the  course  of  the  combat, 
Capt.  Eschelman,  five  privates  and  the  horse  of 
Lieut.  Richardson.  From  the  position  of  our  pieces 
and  the  nature  of  the  ground,  their  aim  could  only 
be  directed  at  the  smoke  of  the  enemy's  artillery ; 
how  skilfully  and  with  what  execution  this  was  done 
can  only  be  realized  by  an  eye  witness.  For  a  few 
moments,  their  guns  were  silenced,  but  were  soon 
ri  opened.  By  direction  of  Gen.  Longstreet,  his 
battery  was  then  advanced,  by  hand,  out  of  the 
range  now  ascertained  by  the  enemy,  and  a  shower 
of  spherical  case  shell  and  round  shot  flew  over  the 
head  of  our  gunners  and  one  of  our  pieces  had  be- 
come hors  de  combat  from  an  enlarged  spent.  From 
this  new  position  our  guns  fired  as  before,  with  no 
other  aim  than  the  smoke  and  flash  of  their  adversa- 
ries' pieces — renev,^ed  and  urged  the  conflict  with 
such  signal  vigor  and  eff*cct,  that  gradually  the  fire 
of  the  enemy  slackened,  the  intervals  between  their 
discharges  grew  longer  and  longer;  finally,  to  cease, 
and  we  fired  a  last  gun  at  a  baffled,  flying  foe,  whose 
heavy  masses  in  the  distance  were  plainly  seen  to 
break  and  scatter  in  wild  confusion  and  utter  rout, 
strewing  the    ground   with   cast-away   guns,   hats, 


89 

blankets  and  knapsacks,  as  our  parting  shell  was 
thrown  among  them.  In  their  retreat,  one  of  their 
pieces  was  abandoned,  but,  from  the  nature  of  the 
ground,  it  was  not  sent  for  that  night,  and  under 
cover  of  darkness,  the  enemy  recovered  it. 

The  guns  engaged  in  this  singular  conflict  on  our 
side  were  three  six-pounder  rifle  pieces  and  four  or- 
dinary six-pounders,  all  of  Walton's  Battery — the 
Washington  Artillery  of  New  Orleans.  The  officers 
immediately  attached,  were  :  Captain  Eschelman, 
Lieutenants  C.  W.  Squires,  Richardson,  Garnett 
and  Whittington.  At  the  same  time,  our  infantry 
held  the  bank  of  the  stream  in  advance  of  our  ffuns, 
and  the  missiles  of  the  combatants  flew  to  and  fro 
above  them,  as  cool  and  veteran-like,  for  more  than 
an  hour,  they  steadily  awaited  the  moment  and  sig- 
nal for  the  advance. 

While  the  conflict  was  at  its  height  before  Black- 
burn's Ford,  about  four  o'clock,  P.  ^I.,  the  enemy 
again  displayed  himself  in  force  before  Bonham's 
position.  At  this.  Col.  Kershaw,  with  four  compa- 
nies of  his  regiment,  Second  South  Carolina,  and 
one  piece  of  Kemper's  Battery,  were  thrown  across- 
Mitchell's  Ford,  to  the  ridge  which  Kemper  had  oc- 
cupied that  morning.  Two  solid  shot  and  three 
spherical  case,  thrown  among  them — rwith  a<  precis- 
ion inaugurated  by  that  artillerist  at  Vienna — 
eflfected  their  discomfiture  and  disappearance,  and 
our  troops  in  that  quarter  w^ere  again  withdrawn 
within  our  lines,  having  discharged  the  duty  assigned. 


90 

At  the  close  of  the  engagement  before  Blackburn's 
Ford,  I  directed  General  Longstreet  to  withdraw  the 
First  and  Seventeenth  Regiments,  which  had  borne 
the  brunt  of  the  action,  to  a  position  in  reserve, 
leaving  Col.  Early  tX)  occupy  the  field  with  his  Bri- 
gade and  Garland's  Regiment. 

As  a  part  of  the  history  of  this  engagement,  I 
desire  to  place  on  record,  that  on  the  18th  of  July 
not  one  yard  of  entrenchment  nor  one  rifle-pit  shel- 
tered the  men  at  Blackburn's  Ford — who,  officers 
and  men,  with  rare  exceptions —  were  on  that  day, 
for  the  first  time,  under  fire,  and  who,  taking  imd 
maintaining  every  position  ordered,  cannot  be  too 
much  commended  for  their  soldierly  behavior. 

Our  artillery  was  manned  and  officered  by  those 
who,  but  yesterday,  were  called  from  the  civil  asso- 
ciations of  a  busy  city.  They  were  matched  with 
the  picked  light  artillery  of  the  Federal  regular 
army — Company  "  E,"  Third  Artillery,  under  Cap- 
tain Ayres,  with  an  armament,  as  their  own  Chief 
of  Artillery  admits,  of  two  ten-pounder  Parrott  rifle 
guns,  two  twelve-pounder  Howitzers,  and  two  six- 
pounder  pieces,  aided  by  two  twenty-pounder  Par- 
rott rifle  guns  of  Company  "  G,"  Fifth  Artillery, 
under  Lieutenant  Benjamin ;  thus  matched,  they 
drove  their  veteran  adversaries  from  the  field,  giving 
confidence  in,  and  promise  of  the  coming  efficiency 
of  that  brilliant  arm  of  our  service. 

Having  thus  related  the  main  or  general  results 
and  events  of  the  action  of  Bull  Run,  in  conclusion 


91 

it  is  proper  to  signalize  some  of  those  -svlio  contri-. 
bated  most  to  the    satisfactory  results    of  that  day* 

Thanks  are  due  to  Brigadier  Generals  Bonham 
and  Ewell,  and  Col.  Cocke  and  the  officers  under 
them,  for  the  ability  shown  in  conducting  and  exe- 
cuting the  retrogadc  movements  on  Bull  Run,  di- 
rected in  my  orders  of  the  8th  July — movements  on 
which  hung  the  fortunes  of  tliis  army. 

Brigadier  General  Longstrect,  who  commanded 
immediately  the  troops  engaged  at  Blackburn's  Ford 
on  the  18th,  equalled  my  confident  expectations,  and 
I  may  fitly  say  that  by  his  presence  at  the  right 
place,  at  the  right  moment,  among  his  men,  by  the 
exhibition  of  characteristic  coolness,  and  by  his 
words  of  encouragement  to  the  men  of  his  command, 
he  infused  a  confidence  and  spirit  that  contributed 
largely  to  the  success  of  our  arms  on  that  day. 

Col.  Early  brought  his  brigade  into  position,  and 
subsequently  into  action,  with  judgment;  and,  at 
the  proper  moment,  he  displayed  capacity  for  com- 
mand and  personal  gallantry. 

Colonel  Moore,  commanding  the  First  Virginia 
Volunteers,  was  severely  wounded  at  the  head  of  his 
regiment,  the  command  of  which  subsequently  de- 
volved upon  Major  Skinner,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Fry 
having  been  obliged  to  leave  the  field  in  consequence 
of  a  sun  stroke. 

An  accomplished,  promising  officer,  Major  Carter 
H.  Harrison,  Eleventh  Virginia  Volunteers,  was  lost 
to  the  service  while  leading  two   companies  of  his 


92 

regiment  against  the  enemy  ;  he  fell,  twice  shot, 
mortally  ■\voundeci. 

Brigadier  General  Longstreet,  while  finding  on 
all  sides  alacrity,  ardor  and  intelligence,  mentions 
his  special  obligations  to  Colonels  Moore,  Garland 
and  Corse,  commanding,  severally,  regiments  of  his 
brigade,  and  to  the  field  officers.  Lieutenant  Colonels 
Fry,  Funsten  and  Munford,  and  Majors  Brent  and 
Skinner,  of  whom  he  sa}- s  :  "They  displaj^ed  more 
coolness  than  is  usual  among  veterans  of  the  old 
service.  General  Longstreet  also  mentions  the  con- 
duct of  Captain  Marye,  of  the  Seventeenth  Virginia 
Volunteers,  as  especialy  gallant  on  one  occasion,  in 
advance  of  the  Ford. 

The  regiments  of  Early's  Brigade  were  commanded 
by  Colonel  Harry  Hays  and  Lieutenant  Colonels 
Williams  and  Hairston,  who  handled  their  commands 
in  action  with  satisfactory  coolness  and  skill,  sup- 
ported by  their  field  officers.  Lieutenant  Colonel  De 
Choiseul  and  Major  Penn,  of  the  Seventh  Louisiana, 
and  Major  Patton  of  the  Seventh  Virginia  Volun- 
teers. 

The  skill,  the  conduct  and  the  soldierly  qualities 
of  the  Washington  Artillery  engaged  were  all  that 
could  be  desired.  The  officers  and  men  attached  to 
the  seven  pieces  already  specified,  won  for  their  bat- 
talion a  distinction  which,  I  feel  assured,  will  never 
be  tarnished,  and  which  will  ever  serve  to  urge 
them  and  their  corps  to  high  endeavor.  Lieutenant 
Squires  worthily  commanded  the  pieces  in  action. 


93 

The  commander  of  the  Battalion  was  necessarily 
a,bsent  from  the  immediate  field,  under  orders  in  the 
sphere  of  his  duties,  but  the  fruits  of  his  discipline, 
zeal,  instruction  and  capacity  as  an  Artillery  Com- 
mander was  present,  and  must  redound  to  his  repu- 
tation. 

On  the  left  of  Mitchell's  Ford,  while  no  serious 
engagement  occurred,  the  conduct  of  all  was  emi- 
nently satisfactory  to  the  general  officer  in  command. 

It  is  due,  however,  to  Colonel  J.  L.  Kemper,  Vir- 
ginia forces,  to  express  my  sense  of  the  value  of 
his  services  in  the  preparation  for,  and  the  execu- 
tion of,  the  retreat  from  Fairfax  Court  House  on 
Bull  Run.  Called  from  the  head  of  his  regiment, 
by  what  appeared  to  me  an  imperative  need  of  the 
service,  to  take  charge  of  the  superior  duties  of  the 
Quartermaster's  Department,  with  the  advance  of 
that  critical  juncture,  he  accepted  the  responsibili- 
ties involved,  and  was  eminently  efficient. 

For  further  information,  touching  officers  and  in- 
dividuals of  the  First  Brigade,  and  the  details  of 
the  retrogade  movement,  I  have  to  refer  particularly 
to  the  report  of  Brigadier  General  Bonham  here- 
with. 

It  is  proper  here  to  state,  that  while  from  the  out- 
set it  had  been  determined,  on  the  approach  of  the 
enemy  in  force,  to  fall  back  and  fight  him  on  the 
line  of  Bull  Run,  yet  the  position  occupied  by  Gen. 
Ewell's  Brigade,  if  necessary,  could  have  been 
maintained  against  a  largely  superior  force.     This 


94 

was  especially  the  case  with  the  position  of  the  Fifth 
Alabama  Volunteers,  Colonel  Rhodes,  which  that 
excellent  officer  had  made  capable  of  a  resolute  pro- 
tracted defence  against  heavy  odds.  Accordingly, 
on  the  morning  of  the  17th  ultimo,  when  the  enemy 
appeared  before  that  position,  they  were  checked  and 
held  at  bay,  with  some  confessed  loss,  in  a  skirmish 
in  advance  of  the  works  in  which  Major  Morgan  and 
Captain  Shelley,  Fifth  Regiment  Alabama  Volun- 
teers, acted  with  intelligent  gallantry,  and  the  post 
was  only  abandoned  under  general  but  specific,  im- 
perative orders,  in  conformity  with  a  long  conceived, 
established  plan  of  action  and  battle. 

Captain  E.  P.  Alexander,  Confederate  States  En- 
gineer, fortunately  joined  my  headquarters  in  time 
to  introduce  the  system  of  new  field  signals,  which, 
under  his  skillful  management,  rendered  me  the 
most  important  service  preceding  and  during  the  en- 
gagement. 

The  medical  officers  serving  with  the  regiments 
engaged  were  at  their  proper  posts,  and  discharged 
their  duties  with  satisfactory  skill  and  zeal,  and,  on 
one  occasion  at  least,  under  an  annoying  fire ;  when 
Surgeon  Cullen,  First  Regiment  AHrginia  Volun- 
teers, was  obliged  to  remove  our  wounded  from  the 
hospital,  which  had  become  the  special  target  of  the 
enemy's  rifle  guns,  notwithstanding  it  was  sur- 
mounted by  the  usual  yellow  flag,  but  Avhich,  how- 
ever, I  hope,  for  the  sake  of  past  relations  was  igno- 
rantly    mistaken    for    the    Confederate    flag.     The 


95 


name  of   each   individual  medical   officer  I  cannot 
mention. 

On  the  day  of  the  engagement,  I  was  attended  by 
my  personal  staff,  Lieutenant  S.  W.  Ferguson,  A. 
D.  C,  and  my  volunteer  Aids  de  Camp,  Colonels 
Preston,  Chesnut,  Manning,  Miles,  Chisholm  and 
Heyward,  of  South  Carolina,  to  all  of  whom  I  am 
greatly  indebted  for  manifold  essential  services  in 
the  transmission  of  orders  on  the  field,  and  in  the 
preliminary  arrangements  for  the  occupation  and 
maintenance  of  the  line  of  Bull  Run. 

Colonel  Thomas  Jordan,  Assistant  Adjutant  Gen- 
eral;    Captain    C.    N.    Smith,    Assistant   Adjutant 
General ;   Colonel  S.  Jones,  Chief  of  Artillery  and 
Ordnance ;     Major    Cabell,     Chief    Quartermaster ; 
Captain  W.  H.  Fowle,  Chief  of  Subsistence  Depart- 
ment;   Surgeon  Thomas  H.  Williams,  Medical   Di- 
!  rector,  and  Assistant  Surgeon  Brodie,  Medical  Pur- 
I  veyor  of  the  General  Staff,  attached  to  the  Army  of 
i  the  Potomac,  were  necessarily  engaged,  severally, 
;  with  their  responsible  duties  at  my  headquarters  at 
i  Camp  Pickens,  which  they  discharged  with  an  energy 
[)  and  intelligence  for  which  I  have  to  tender  my  sin- 
cere thanks. 

Messrs.  McLean,  Wilcoxen,  Kincheloe  and  Braw- 
ncr,  citizens  of  this  immediate  vicinity,  it  is  their 
due  to  say,  have  placed  me  and  the  country  under 
great  obligation  for  the  information  relative  to  this 
region,  which  has  enabled  me  to  avail  myself  of  its 
defensive  features  and  resources.     They  were  found 


D6 

ever  ready  to  give  me  their  time,  without  stint  or 
reward. 

Our  casualties,  in  all,  sixty-eight  killed  and 
wounded,  were  fifteen*  killed  and  fifty-three  wounded, 
several  of  whom  have  since  died.  The  loss  of  the 
enemy  can  only  be  conjectured;  it  was  unquestiona- 
bly heavy.  In  the  cursory  examination  which  was 
made  by  details  from  Longstreet's  and  Early's  Bri- 
gades, on  the  18th  July,  of  that  of  the  field  imme- 
diately contested  and  near  Blackburn's  Ford,  some 
sixty-four  corpses  w^ere  found  and  buried,  and  at  least 
twenty  prisoners  were  also  picked  up,  besides,  175 
stands  of  arms,  a  large  quantity  of  accoutrements 
and  blankets,  and  quite  one  hundred  and  fifty  hats. 

The  eifect  of  this  day's  conflict  was  to  satisfy  the 
enemy  that  he  could  not  force  a  passage  across  Bull 
Bun  in  the  face  of  our  troops,  and  led  him  into  the 
flank  movement  of  the  21st  July  and  the  battle  of 
Manassas,  the  details  of  which  will  be  related  in 
another  paper. 

Herewith  I  have  tlie  honor  to  transmit  the  reports 
of  the  several  Brigade  Commanders  engaged,  and  of 
Artillery.     Also,  a  map  of  the  field  of  battle. 

The  rendition  of  this  report,  it  is  proper  to  say 
in  conclusion,  has  been  unavoidably  delayed  by  the 
constantly  engrossing  administrative  duties  of  the 
commander  of  an  army  corps  composed  wholly  of 
volunteers — duties  vitally  essential  to  its  well  being 
and  future  efiieicncy,  and  which  I  could  not  set  aside, 
or  postpone  on  any  account. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be.  Gen.,  your  ob'dt.  serv't,.^ 
G.  T.  BEAUREGABD, 
Gen'l  S.  Cooper,  Adj't  and  Insp'r  Gen'l,  C.  S.'  A, 

♦Including  two  reported  "missing," 


OFFICIAL  REPORT  OF  THE  BATTLE  OF 
MANASSAS,  JULY  21st,  186 I~J.  E.  JOHN. 
STON,  GENERAL  COMMANDING. 


Headquarters  Army  of  the  Potomac,  > 
Fairfax  C.  IL,  October  14tli,  1861.       \ 

To  the.  Adjutant  and  Inspector  General 

Confederate  States  Army  : 

Sir  :  I  have  the  honor  to  submit  to  the  honorable 
Secretary  of  War  a  report  of  the  operations  of  the 
troops  under  ni}'-  command  wliicli  terminated  in  the 
battle  of  Manassas. 

I  assumed  command  at  Harper's  Ferry  on  tlio 
23d  of  May.  The  force  at  that  point  then,  con- 
sisted of  nine  regiments  and  two  battalions  of  in-f 
fantry,  four  companies  of  artillery  with  sixteen 
pieces,  without  caissons,  harness  or  horses,  ancl 
about  three  hundred  cavalry.  They  were  of  course 
undisciplined ;  several  regiments  without  accoutre- 
ments, and  with  an  entirely  inadequate  supply  of 
ammunition. 

I  lost  no  time  in  making  a  complete  reconnoisanco 
of  the  place  and  its  environs,  in  which  the  Chief 
Engineer,  Major  (now  Brigadier  General)  Whiting 
ably  assisted.  The  results  confirmed  my  precon- 
ceived ideas. 

The  position  is  untenable  by  any  force  not  strong 
1 


98 

enough  to  take  the  fiehl  against  an  invading  army 
and  to  hokl  both  sides  of  the  Potomac.  It  is  a 
triangle,  two  sides  being  formed  hj  the  Potomac 
and  the  Shenandoah,  and  the  third  by  Furnace  Ridge. 
The  plateau  thus  enclosed,  and  the  end  of  Furnace 
llidge  itself,  the  only  defensible  position,  which, 
however,  required  for  its  adequate  occupation  double 
our  numbers,  was  exposed  to  enfilade  and  reverse 
tires  of  artillery  from  heights  on  the  Maryland  side 
of  the  river.  Within  that  line,  the  ground  was  more 
favorable  to  an  attacking  than  to  a  defending  force. 
The  Potomac  can  be  easily  crossed  at  many  points 
above  and  below,  so  that  it  is  easily  turned.  It  is 
twenty  miles  from  the  great  route  into  the  Valley 
of  Virginia  from  Pennsylvania  and  Maryland,  by 
which  General  Patterson's  approach  was  expected. 
Its  garrison  was  thus  out  of  position  to  defend  that 
yalley,  or  to  prevent  General  McClellan's  junction 
with  General  Patterson.  These  were  tlie  obvious 
;ind  important  o])jects  to  be  kept  in  view.  Besides 
being  in  position  for  them,  it  was  necessary  to  be 
able,  on  emergency,  to  join  General  Beauregard. 

The  occupation  of  Harper's  Ferry  by  our  army 
perfectly  suited  the  enemy's  views.  We  w^ere  bound 
to  a  fixed  point.  His  move]nents  were  unrestricted. 
These  views  were  submitted  to  the  niilitary  authori- 
ties. The  continued  occupation  of  the  place  was,* 
however,  deemed  by  them  indispensable.  I  determ- 
ined to  hold  it  until  the  great  objects  of  the  Gov- 
ernment required  its  ab:;ndonment. 

The  practicable  roads  from  the  West  nnd  North- 
west, as  well  as  from  Manassas,  meet  the  route  from 
Pennsylvania  and  Maryland  at  Winchester,  That 
point  was,  therefore,  in  my  opinion,  our  best  posi- 
tion. 


99 

The  distinguished  commander  of  the  army  of  the 
Potomac  was  convinced,  like  myself,  of  our  depen- 
dence upon  each  other,  and  promised  to  co-operate 
with  me  in  case  of  need.  To  guard  against  sur- 
prise, and  to  impose  upon  the  enemy.  Major  Whiting 
was  directed  to  mount  a  few  heavy  guns  upon  Fur- 
nace Ridge,  and  otherwise  strengthen  the  position. 

I  was  employed,  until  the  13th  of  June,  in  contin- 
uing what  had  been  begun  by  my  predecessor.  Col. 
(now  Major  General)  Jackson,  the  organization,  in- 
struction and  equipment  of  the  troops,  and  providing 
means  of  transportation  and  artillery  horses.  The 
river  was  observed  from  the  Point  of  Rocks  to  the 
Western  part  of  the  county  of  Berkeley — the  most 
distant  portions  by  the  indefatigable  Stuart  with  his 
cavalry.  General  Patterson's  troops  were  within  a 
few  hours  of  Williamsport,  and  General  McClellan's 
in  Western  Virginia  were  supposed  to  be  approach- 
ing to  effect  a  junction  with  Patterson,  whose  force 
was  reported,  by  well  informed  persons,  to  be  eigh- 
teen thousand  men. 

On  the  morning  of  the  13th  of  June,  information 
was  received  from  Winchester,  that  Romney  was  oc- 
cupied by  two  thousand  Federal  troops,  supposed  to 
be  the   van-guard  of  McClellan's  army. 

Colonel  A.  P.  Hill,  with  his  own  (13th)  and  Col- 
onel Gibbon's  (10th)  Virginia  Regiments,  was  de- 
spatched by  railway  to  Winchester.  He  was  di- 
rected to  move  thence  towards  Romney,  to  take  the 
best  position  and  best  measures  to  check  the  advance 
of  the  enemy.  He  was  to  add  to  his  command  the 
3d  Tennessee  Regiment,  which  had  just  arrived  at 
Winchester. 

During  that  day  and  the  next,  the  heavy  baggage 
and  remaining  public  property  were   sent  to  Win- 


lUU 

Chester  by  the  railway,  and  the  bridges  on  the  Poto- 
mac destroyed.  On  the  morning  of  the  loth,  the 
army  left  Harper's  Ferry  for  Winchester,  (the  force 
had  been  increased  by  tlirce  regiments  since  the  1st 
of  Juno)  and  bivouacked  four  miles  beyond  Charles- 
town.  On  the  morning  of  the  16tli,  intelligence  was 
received  that  General  Patterson's  army  had  crossed 
the  Potomac  at  Williamsport,  also  that  the  United 
States  force  at  Romney  had  fallen  back.  A  courier 
from  Richmond  l)rought  a  despatch  authorizing  me 
to  evacuate  Harper's  Ferry  at  my  discretion. 

The  army  was  ordered  to  gain  the  Martinsburg 
Turnpike,  by  a  flank  movement  to  Bunker's  Hill, 
in  order  to  place  itself  between  Winchester  and  the 
expected  advance  of  Patterson.  On  hearing  of  this, 
the  enemy  re-crossed  the  river  precipitatel}'.  Re- 
suming  my  first  direction  and  plan,  I  proceeded  to 
Winchester.  There  the  army  w^as  in  position  to 
oppose  either  McClellan  from  the  West,  or  Patterson 
from  the  Northeast,  and  to  form  a  junction  with 
General  Beauregard  wdien  necessary. 

Lieutenant  Colonel  George  Stewart,  with  his 
Maryland  Battalion,  was  sent  to  Harper's  Ferry  to 
bring  oif  some  public  property  said  to  have  been 
left.  As  McClellan  was  moving  Southwestward  from 
Grafton,  Colonel  HilFs  command  was  withdrawn 
froni  Romney.  The  defence  of  that  region  of  coun- 
try was  entrusted  to  Colonel  McDonaJ.d's  Regiment 
of  Cavalry.  Intelligence  from  Maryland  indicating 
another  movement  by  Patterson,  Colonel  Jackson, 
with  his  brigade,  was  sent  to  the  neighborhood  of 
Martinsburg,  to  support  Col.  Stuart.  The  latter 
officer  had  been  placed  in  observation  on  the  line  of 
the  Potomac  with  his  cavalry.  His  increasing  vigi- 
lance and  activity  was  relied  on  to  repress  small  in- 


101 

cursions  of  the  enemy,  to  give  intelligence  of  inva- 
sion by  them,  and  to  watch,  harrass  and  circum- 
scribe their  every  movement.  Colonel  Jackson  was 
instructed  to  destroy  such  of  the  rolling  stock  of  the 
Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad  as  could  not  be  brought 
off,  and  to  have  so  much  of  it  as  could  be  made  avail- 
able to  our  service  brought  to  Winchester. 

Major  Whiting  was  ordered  to  plan  defensive  works 
and  to  have  some  heavy  guns  on  navy  carriages 
mounted.  About  tAventy-five  hundred  militia,  under 
Brigadier  General  Carson,  were  called  out  from  Fred- 
erick and  the  neighboring  counties  to  man  them. 

On  the  2d  of  July,  General  Patterson  again  crossed 
the  Potomac.  Colonel  Jackson,  pursuant  to  in- 
structions, fell  back  before  him.  In  retiring,  he  gave 
him  a  severe  lesson, in  the  affair  at  Falling  Waters. 
With  a  battalion  of  the  oth  Virginia  Regiment  (Har- 
per's), and  Pendleton's  Battery  of  Field  Artillery, 
he  engaged  the  enemy's  advance.  Skillfully  taking 
a  position  where  the  smallness  of  his  force  was  con- 
cealed, he  engaged  them  for  a  considerable  time, 
inflicted  a  heavy  loss,  and  retired  when  about  to  be 
outflanked,  scarcely  losing  a  man,  but  bringing  off 
forty-five  prisoners. 

Upon  this  intelligence  the  arm}^  strengthened  by 
the  arrival  of  General  Bee  and  Colonel  Elzey,  and 
the  Oth  Georgia  Regiment,  was  ordered  forward  to 
the  support  of  Jackson.  It  met  him  at  Darksville, 
six  miles  from  Martinsburg,  where  it  took  up  a  posi- 
tion for  action,  as  General  Patterson,  it  was  sup- 
posed, was  closely  following  Colonel  Jackson.  We 
waited  for  hnn  in  this  position  four  days,  hoping 
to  be  attacked  by  an  adversary  at  least  double  our 
number,  but  unwilling  to  attack  him  in  a  town  so 
defensible  as  Martinsburg,  with  its   solid  buildings 


102 

and  enclosures  of  masonry.  Convinced  at  length 
that  he  Avould  not  approach  us,  I  returned  to  Win- 
chester, much  to  the  disappointment  of  our  troops, 
who  were  eager  for  battle  with  the  invaders.  Colo- 
nel Stuart,  with  his  cavalry,  as  usual,  remained 
near  the  enemy. 

Before  the  loth  of  July,  the  enemy's  force,  ac- 
cording to  the  best  intelligence  to  be  obtained, 
amounted  to  about  thirty-two  thousand.  Ours  had 
been  increased  b}^  eight  Southern  regiments.  On 
the  15th  of  July,  Colonel  Stuart  reported  the  ad- 
vance of  General  Patterson  from  Martinsburg.  He 
halted,  however,  at  Bunker's  Hill,  nine  miles  from 
Winchester,  where  he  remained  on  the  16th.  On 
the  17th,  he  moved  his  left  to  Smithfield.  This 
created  the  impression  that  he  intended  to  attack  us 
on  the  south,  or  was  merely  holding  us  in  check, while 
General  Beauregard  should  be  attacked  at  Manassas 
by  General  Scott. 

About  one  o'clock  on  tlie  morning  of  July  18th,  I 
received  from  the  Government  a  telegraphic  dispatch, 
informing  me  that  the  Northern  army  was  advancing 
upon  Manassas,  then  held  by  General  Beauregard, 
and  directing  me,  if  practicable,  to  go  to  that  offi- 
cer's assistance,  sending  my  sick  to  Culpepcr  Court- 
house. 

In  the  exercise  of  the  discretion  conferred  by  the 
terms  of  the  order,  I  at  once  determined  to  march  to 
join  General  Beauregard.  The  best  service  which 
the  army  of  the  Shenandoah  could  render,  was  to 
prevent  the  defeat  of  that  of  the  Potomac.  To  be 
able  to  do  this,  it  was  necessary,  in  the  first  instance, 
to  defeat  General  Patterson,  or  to  elude  him.  The 
latter  course  was  the  most  speedy  and  certain,  and 
was  therefore  adopted.     Our  sick,  nearly  seventeen 


103 

hundred  in  number,  -were  provided  for  in  "VVincliester. 
For  the  defence  of  that  phice,  the  militia  of  Gene- 
rals Carson  and  Meem  seemed  ample ;  for  I  thought 
it  certain  that  General  Patterson  would  follow  my 
movement,  as  soon  as  he  discovered  it.  Evading 
him,  by  the  disposition  made  of  the  advance  guard 
under  Colonel  Stuart,  the  army  moved  through  Ash- 
by's  Gap  to  Piedmont,  a  station  of  the  Manassas 
Gap  Railroad.  Hence,  the  infantry  were  to  be  trans- 
ported by  the  railway,  while  the  cavalry  and  artillery 
were  ordered  to  continue  their  march.  I  reached 
Manassas  about  noon  on  the  20th,  preceded  by  the 
7th  and  8th  Georgia  regiments,  and  by  Jackson's 
brigade,  consisting  of  the  2nd,  4th,  5th,  27th  and 
33rd  Virginia  regiments.  I  was  accompanied  by 
General  Bee,  with  the  4th  Alabama,  the  2nd  and  two 
companies  of  the  1 1th  Mississippi.  The  president  of 
the  railroad  company  had  assured  me  that  the  remain- 
ing troops  should  arrive  during  the  day. 

I  found  General  Beauregard's  position  too  exten- 
sive, and  the  ground  too  densely  wooded  and  intricate, 
to  be  learned  in  the  brief  time  at  my  disposal,  and 
therefore  determined  to  rel}^  upon  his  knowledge  of 
it,  and  of  the  enemy's  positions.  This  I  did  readily, 
from  full  confidence  in  his  capacity. 

His  troops  were  divided  into  eight  brigades,  oc- 
cupying the  defensive  line  of  Bull  Run.  Brigadier- 
General  Ewell's  was  posted  at  the  Union  Mills  Ford; 
Brigadier-General  D.  R.  Jones's  at  McLean's  Ford ; 
Brigadier- General  Longstreet's  at  Blackburn's  Ford ; 
Brigadier-General  Bonham's  at  Mitchell's  Ford; 
Colonel  Cocke's  at  Ball's  Ford,  some  three  miles 
above,  and  Colonel  Evans,  with  a  regiment  and 
battalion,  formed  the  extreme  left  at  the  Stone  Bridge. 
The  brigades    of    Brigadier-General    Holmes,    and 


104 

Colonel  Early,  were  in  reserve,  in  rear  of  the  right. 
I  regarded  the  arrival  of  the  remainder  of  the  army 
of  the  Shenandoah,  during  the  night,  as  certain,  and 
Patterson's  junction  Avith  the  Grand  Army,  on  the 
22nd,  as  probable.  During  the  evening  it  was  deter- 
mined, instead  of  remaining  in  the  defensive  posi- 
tions then  occupied,  to  assume  the  offensive,  and 
attack  the  enemy  before  such  a  junction. 

General  Beauregard  proposed  a  plan  of  battle, 
which  I  approved  without  hesitation.  He  drew  up 
the  necessary  order  during  the  night,  which  was 
approved  formally  by  me  at  half-past  four  o'clock  on 
the  morning  of  the  21st.  The  early  movements  of 
the  enemy  on  that  morning,  and  the  non-arrival  of 
the  expected  troops,  prevented  its  execution.  Gen- 
eral Beauregard  afterwards  proposed  a  modification 
of  the  abandoned  plan — to  attack  with  our  right, 
while  the  left  stood  on  the  defensive.  This,  too, 
became  impracticable,  and  a  battle  ensued,  different 
in  place  and  circumstance  from  any  previous  plan  on 
our  side. 

Soon  after  sunrise,  on  the  morning  of  the  21st, 
a  light  cannonade  was  opened  upon  Colonel  Evans's 
position  ;  a  similar  demonstration  was  made  against 
the  centre  soon  after,  and  strong  forces  were  ob- 
served in  front  of  it  and  of  the  right.  About  eight 
o'clock.  General  Beauregard  and  I  placed  ourselves 
on  a  commanding  hill  in  rear  of  General  Bonham's 
left.  Near  nine  o'clock  the  signal  officer.  Captain 
Alexander,  reported  that  a  large  body  of  troops  was 
crossing  the  valley  of  Bull  Run,  some  two  miles  above 
the  bridge.  General  Bee,  who  had  been  placed  near 
Colonel  Cocke's  position.  Colonel  Hampton,  with  his 
legion,  and  Colonel  Jackson,  from  a  point  near  Gen. 
Bonham's  left,  were  ordered  to  hasten  to  the  left  flank. 


105 

The  signal  officer  soon  called  our  attention  to  a 
heavy  cloud  of  dust  to  the  north-west,  and  about  ten 
miles  off,  such  as  the  march  of  an  army  would  raise. 
This  excited  apprehensions  of  General  Patterson's 
approach. 

The  enemy,  under  cover  of  a  strong  demonstra- 
tion on  our  right,  made  a  long  detour  through  the 
woods  on  his  right,  crossed  Bull  Run  two  miles 
above  our  left,  and  threw  himself  upon  the  flank  and 
rear  of  our  position.  This  movement  was  fortunately 
discovered  in  time  for  us  to  check  its  progress,  and 
ultimately  to  form  a  now  line  of  battle  nearly  at 
right  angles  with  the  defensive  line  of  Bull  Bun. 

On  discovering  that  the  enemy  had  crossed  the 
stream  above  him.  Colonel  Evans  moved  to  his  left 
with  eleven  companies  and  two  field  pieces,  to  oppose 
his  advance,  and  disposed  his  little  force  under  cover 
of  the  wood,  near  the  intersection  of  the  .Warrenton 
Turnpike  and  the  Sudley  Road.  Here  he  was  attack- 
ed by  the  enemy  in  immensely  superior  numbers, 
against  wliiiii  he  maintained  himself  vrith  skill  and 
unshrinking  courage.  General  Bee,  moving  towards 
the  enemy,  guided  b^^  the  firing,  had,  with  a  sol- 
dier's eye,  selected  the  position  near  the  Henry 
House,  and  formed  his  troops  upon  it.  They  were 
the  7th  and  Sth  Georgia,  4th  Alabama,  2nd  Missis- 
sissippi,  and  two  companies  of  the  11th  Mississippi 
Regiments,  with  Imboden's  battery.  Being  com- 
pelled, however,  to  sustain  Colonel  Evans,  he  crossed 
the  valley  and  formed  on  the  right  and  somewhat  in 
advance  of  his  position.  Here  the  joint  force,  little 
exceeding  five  regiments,  with  six  field  pieces,  held 
the  ground  against  about  fifteen  thousand  United 
States  troops  for  an  hour,  until,  finding  themselves 
outflanked  by  the  continually  arriving  troops  of  the 


106 

enemy,  they  fell  back  to  General  Bee's  first  position, 
upon  the  line  of  which,  Jackson,  just  arriving, 
formed  his  brigade  and  Stanard's  battery.  Colonel 
Hampton,  who  had  by  this  time  advanced  with  his 
Legion  as  far  as  the  Turnpike,  rendered  efficient 
service  in  maintaining  the  orderly  character  of  the 
retreat  from  that  point ;  and  here  fell  the  gallant 
Lieutenant  ColonelJohnson,  his  second  in  command. 
Li  the  meantime,  I  awaited  with  General  Beaure- 
gard, near  the  centre,  the  full  development  of  the 
enemy's  designs.  About  11  o'clock,  the  violence  of 
the  firing  on  the  left  indicated  a  battle,  and  the  march 
of  a  large  body  of  troops  from  the  enemy's  centre 
towards  the  conflict,  was  shown  by  clouds  of  dust. 
I  was  thus  convinced,  that  his  great  effort  Avas  to  be 
made  with  his  right.  I  stated  that  conviction  to 
General  Beauregard,  and  the  absolute  necessity  of 
immediately  strengthening  our  left  as  much  as  possi- 
ble. Orders  were,  accordingly,  at  once  sent  General 
Holmes  and  Colonel  Early,  to  move  with  all  speed  to 
the  sound  of  the  firing,  and  to  GeneriTl*  Eonham  to 
send  up  two  of  his  regiments  and  a  battery.  Gen. 
Beauregard  and  I  then  hurried  at  a  rapid  gallop  to 
the  scene  of  action,  about  four  miles  off.  On  the  way, 
I  directed  my  chief  of  artillery.  Colonel  Pendleton, 
to  follow  with  his  own  and  Alburtis's  batteries.  We 
came  not  a  moment  too  soon*.  The  long  contest, 
against  five-fold  odds  and  heavy  losses,  especially  of 
field  officers,  had  greatly  discouraged  the  troops  of 
General  Bee  and  Colonel  Evans.  Our  presence  with 
them  under  fire,  and  some  example,  had  the  happiest 
effect  on  the  spirit  of  the  troops.  Order  was  soon 
restored,  and  the  battle  re-established,  to  which  the 
firmness  of  Jackson's  brigade  greatly  contributed. 
Then,  in  a  brief  and  rapid  conference,  General  Beau- 


107 

regard  was  assigned  to  the  command  of  the  left, 
which,  as  the  younger  officer,  he  claimed,  while  I 
returned  to  that  of  the  whole  field.  The  aspect  of 
affairs  was  critical,  but  I  had  full  confidence  m  the 
skill  and  indomitable  coura<]:e  of  General  Beaureo:ard, 
the  high  soldierly  qualities  of  Generals  Bee  and  Jack- 
son, and  Colonel  Evans,  and  the  devoted  patriotism 
of  their  troops.  Orders  were  first  dispatched  to  hasten 
the  march  of  General  Holmes's,  Colonel  Early's  and 
General  Bonham's  Regiments.  General  Ewell  was 
also  directed  to  follow  with  all  speed.  Many  of  the 
broken  troops,  fragments  of  companies,  and  individual 
stragglers,  were  reformed  and  brought  into  action, 
with  the  aid  of  my  staif,  and  a  portion  of  General 
Beauregard's.  Colonel  (Governor)  Smith,  with  his 
battalion,  and  Colonel  Hunton,  with  his  regiment, 
were  ordered  up  to  reinforce  the  right.  I  have  since 
learned  that  General  Beauregard  had  previously  or- 
dered them  into  the  battle.  They  belonged  to  his 
corps.  Colonel  Smith's  cheerful  courage  had  a  fine 
influence,  not  only  upon  the  spirit  of  his  own  men,  but 
upon  the  stragglers  from  the  troops  engaged.  The 
largest  body  of  these,  equal  to  about  four  compa- 
nies, having  no  competent  field  officer,  I  placed  under 
command  of  one  of  my  staff,  Colonel  F.  J.  Thomas, 
who  fell,  while  gallantly  leading  it  against  the 
enemy.  These  reinforcements  were  all  sent  to  the 
right,  to  re-establish,  more  perfectly,  that  part  of 
our  line,  illaving  attended  to  these  pressing  duties, 
at  the  immediate  scene  of  conflict,  my  eye  was  next 
directed  to  Colonel  Cocke's  brigade,  the  nearest  at 
hand.  Hastening  to  his  position,  I  desired  him  to 
lead  his  troops  into  action.  He  informed  me,  how- 
ever, that  a  large  body  of  the  enemy's  troops,  beyond 
the  stream  and  below  the  bridge,  threatened  us  from 


108 

that  quarter.  He  was,  therefore,  left  in  his  po- 
sition. 

My  headquarters  were  now  established  near  the 
Lewis  House.  From  this  commanding  elevation,  my 
view  embraced  the  position  of  the  enemy  beyond  the 
stream,  and  the  approaches  to  the  Stone  Bridge,  a 
jioint  of  especial  importance.  I  could  also  see  the 
advances  of  our  troops,  far  down  the  valley,  in  the 
direction  of  Manassas,  and  observe  the  progress  of 
the  action  and  the  manoeuvres  of  the  enemy. 

We  had  now  sixteen  guns,  and  two  hundred  and 
sixty  cavalry,  and  a  little  above  nine  regiments  of 
the  army  of  the  Shenandoah,  and  six  guns,  and  less 
than  the  strength  of  three  regiments,  of  that  of  the 
Potomac,  engaged  with  about  thirty-five  thousand 
United  States  troops,  amongst  whom,  were  full  three 
thousand  men  of  the  old  regular  tirmy.  Yet,  this 
admirable  artillery,  and  brave  infantry  and  cavalry, 
lost  no  foot  of  ground.  For  nearly  three  hours  they 
maintained  their  position,  repelling  five  successive 
assaults,  by  the  heavy  masses  of  the-  enemy,  whose 
numbers  enabled  him  continually  to  bring  up  fresh 
troops,  as  their  preceding  columns  were  driven  back. 
Colonel  Stuart  contributed  to  one  of  these  repulses, 
by  a  well  timed  and  vigorous  charge  on  the  enemy's 
right  flank,  with  two  companies  of  his  cavalry.  The 
efficiency  of  our  infantry  and  cavalry,  might  have 
been  expected  from  a  patriotic  people,  accustomed, 
like  ours,  to  the  management  of  arms  and  horses,  but 
that  of  the  artillery,  was  little  less  than  wonderful. 
They  were  opposed  to  batteries  far  superior,  in  the 
number,  range  and  equipment  of  their  guns,  with 
educated  ollicers,  and  thoroughly  instructed  soldiers. 
We  had  but  one  educated  artillerist,  Colonel  Pen- 
dleton— that  model  of  a  Christian  soldier — yet  they 


1(10 

exhibited  as  much  superiority  to  the  enemy  in  skill 
as  in  courage.  Their  fire  was  superior,  both  in 
rapidity  and  precision. 

About  two  o'clock,  an  officer  of  General  Beaure- 
gard's Adjutant  General's  office,  galloped  from  Ma- 
nassas, to  report  to  me  that  a  United  States  army 
had  reached  the  line  of  the  Manassas  Gap  Railroad, 
was  marching  towards  us,  and  then  but  three  or  four 
miles  from  our  left  flank. 

The  expected  reinforcements  appeared  soon  after. 
Col.  Cocke  was  then  desired  to  lead  his  brigade  into 
action,  to  support  the  right  of  the  troops  engaged, 
which  he  did,  with  alacrity  and  effect.  Within  a 
half  hour,  the  two  regiments  of  General  Bonham's 
brigade,  (Cash's  and  Kershaw's,)  came  up,  and  were 
directed  against  the  enemy's  right,  which  he  seemed 
to  be  strengthening.  Fisher's  North  Carolina  regi- 
ment was,  soon  after,  sent  in  the  same  direction. 
About  three  o'clock,  while  the  enemy  seemed  to  be 
striving  to  outflank  and  drive  back  our  left,  and  thus 
separate  us  from  Manassas,  General  E.  K.  Smith 
arrived,  with  three  regiments  of  Elzey's  brigade. 
He  was  instructed  to  attack  the  right  flank  of  the 
enemy,  now  exposed  to  us.  Before  the  movement 
was  completed,  he  fell,  severely  wounded.  Colonel 
Elzey  at  once  taking  command,  executed  it  with 
great  promptitude  and  vigor.  General  Bcaureo-ard 
rapidly  seized  the  opportunity  thus  afforded  him, 
and  threw  forward  his  whole  line.  The  enemy  was 
driven  back  from  the  long  contested  hill,  and  victory 
was  no  longer  doubtful.  He  made  yet  another  attempt 
to  retrieve  the  day.  He  again  extended  his  rio-ht, 
with  a  still  wider  sweep,  to  turn  our  left.  Just  as  he 
re-formed,  to  renew  the  battle,  Colonel  Early's 
three  regiments  came  upon  the  field.     The  enemy's 


no 

new  formation  exposed  his  right  flank  more  even 
than  the  jn-evious  one.  Colonel  Early  was,  there- 
fore, ordered  to  throw  himself  directly  upon  it,  sup- 
ported by  Colonel  Stuart's  cavalry,  and  Beckham's 
battery.  He  executed  this  attack  bravely  and  well, 
while  a  simultaneous  charge  was  made  by  General 
Beauregard  in  front.  The  enemy  was  broken  by  this 
combined  attack.  He  lost  all  the  artillery  which 
he  had  advanced  to  the  scene  of  the  conflict.  He 
had  no  more  fresh  troops  to  rally  on,  and  a  general 
rout  ensued. 

Instructions  were  instantly  sent  to  General  Bon- 
ham,  to  march  by  the  quickest  route  to  the  turnpike, 
to  intercept  the  fugitives ;  and  to  General  Long- 
street,  to  follow  as  closely  as  possible  upon  the  right. 
Their  progress  was  checked  by  the  enemy's  reserve, 
and  by  night,  at  Centreville. 

Schenck's  brigade  made  a  slight  demonstration 
towards  Lewis's  ford,  which  was  quickly  checked  by 
Holmes's  brigade,  which  had  just  arrived  from  the 
right.  His  artillery,  under  Captain  Walker,  was 
used  with  great  skill. 

Colonel  Stuart  pressed  the  pursuit  on  the  enemy's 
principal  line  of  retreat,  the  Sudley  Road.  Four 
companies  of  cavalry,  under  Colonel  Badford  and 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Munford,  which  I  had  held  in 
reserve,  were  ordered  to  cross  the  stream  at  Ball's 
Ford,  to  reach  the  turnpike,  the  line  of  retreat  of 
the  enemy's  left.  Our  cavalry  found  the  roads 
encumbered  with  dead  and  wounded,  (many  of  whom 
seemed  to  have  been  thrown  from  wagons,)  arms, 
accoutrements  and  clothing. 

A  report  came  to  me  from  the  right,  that  a  strong 
body  of  United  States  troops  was  advancing  upon 
Manassas.     General  Holmes,  who  had  just  reached 


Ill 

the  field,  and  General  Ewell  on  liis  way  to  it,  \Yere 
ordered  to  meet  this  unexpected  attack.  They  found 
no  foe,  however. 

Our  victory  was  as  complete  as  one  gained  by 
infantry  and  artillery  can  be.  An  adequate  force 
of  cavalry  would  have  made  it  decisive. 

It  is  due,  under  Ahnighty  God,  to  the  skill  and 
resolution  of  General  Beauregard,  the  admirable 
conduct  of  Generals  Bee,  E.  K.  Smith  and  Jackson, 
and  of  Colonels  (commanding  brigades)  Evans, 
Cocke,  Early  an*!  Elzcy,  and  the  courage  and  un- 
yielding firmness  of  our  patriotic  volunteers.  The 
aduiirable  character  of  our  troops  is  incontestibly 
proved  by  the  result  of  this  battle  ;  especially  when 
it  is  remembered  that  little  more  than  six  thousand 
men  of  the  army  of  the  Shenandoah,  with  sixteen 
guns,  and  less  than  two  thousand  of  that  of  the  Po- 
tomac, with  six  guns,  for  full  five  hours  successfully 
resisted  thirty-five  thousand  United  States  troops, 
with  a  powerful  artillery,  and  a  superior  force  of  re- 
gular cavalry.  Our  forces  engaged,  gradually  in- 
creasing   during    tlie     remainder    of   the    contest, 

amounted  to  but  men  at  the  close   of  the 

battle.  The  brunt  of  this  hard-fought  engagement 
fell  upon  the  troops  who  held  their  ground  so  long, 
Avith  such  heroic  resolution.  The  unfading  honor 
which  the}^  won,  was  dearly  bought  with  the  blood 
of  many  of  our  best  and  bravest.  Their  loss  was  far 
heavier,  in  proportion,  than  that  of  the  troops  coming 
later  into' action. 

Every  regiment  and  battery  engaged  performed 
its  part  well.  The  commanders  of  brigades  have 
been  already  mentioned.  I  refer  you  to  General 
Beauregard's  report,  for  the  names  of  the  officers  of 
the  army  of  the  Potomac,  who  distinguished  them- 


112 

solves  most.  I  cannot  cnumerato  <all  of  tlio  army  of 
the  Shenandoah,  who  deserve  distinction,  and  will 
confine  myself  to  those  of  high  rank.  Colonels  Bar- 
tow and  Fisher,  (killed,)  Jones,  (mortally  wounded,) 
Harper,  J.  F.  Preston,  Cummings,  Falkner,  Gartrell 
and  Vaughan;  J.  E.  B.  Stuart,  of  the  cavalry,  and 
Pendleton  of  the  artillery,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Ech- 
ols, Lightfoot,  Lackland,  G.  11.  Stewart  and  Gard- 
ner. The  last-named  gallant  officer  was  severely 
wounded. 

The  loss  of  the  army  of  the  Potomac  was,  108 
killed,  510  wounded,  12  missing  That  of  the  army 
of  the  Shenandoah  was,  270  killed,  979  wounded,  18 
missing. 

Total  killed,  ....  378 
''  wounded,-  -  -  -  1,489 
"      missing,    -         -         -         -  30 

That  of  the  enemy  could  not  be  ascertained.  It 
must  have  been  between  four  and  five  thousand. 
Twenty-eight  pieces  of  artillery,  about  five  thou- 
sand muskets,  and  nearly  five  hundred  thousand  cart- 
ridges ;  a  garrison  flag  and  ten  colors  were  cap- 
tured on  the  field  or  in  the  pursuit.  Besides  these, 
we  captured  sixty-four  artillery  horses,  with  their 
harness,  tAventy-six  wagons,  and  much  camp  equip- 
age, clothing,  and  other  property,  abandoned  in  their 
flight. 

The  officers  of  my  stafi*  deserve  high  commenda- 
tion for  their  efficient  and  gallant  services  during 
the  day  and  the  campaign,  and  I  beg  leave  to  call  the 
attention  of  the  Government  to  their  merits.  Major 
W.  H.  C.  Whiting,  Chief  Engineer,  was  invaluable 
to  me,  for  his  signal  ability  in  his  profession,  and  for 
his  indefatigable  activity  before  and  in  the  battle. 
Major  McClcan,   Chief  Quartermastcl-,  and   Major 


1 


113 

Kearsley,  Chief  Commissary,  conducted  their  re- 
spective departments  'svith  skill  and  energy.  Major 
Ehett,  A.  A.  General,  who  joined  me  only  the  day 
before,  was  of  great  service.  I  left  him  at  Manassas, 
and  to  his  experience  and  energy  I  entrusted  the 
care  of  ordering  my  troops  to  the  field  of  bottle  as 
they  should  arrive,  and  forwarding  ammunition  for 
the  artillery  during  the  action.  Captains  C.  M, 
Fauntleroy,  C.  S.  Navy,  T.  L.  Preston,  A.  A.  A. 
General,  and  Lieutenant  J.  B.  Washington,  A.  D. 
C,  conveyed  my  orders  bravely  and  well,  on  this 
their  first  field,  as  did  several  gallant  gentlemen 
who  volunteered  their  services — Colonel  Cole  of 
Florida,  Major  Deas  of  Alabama,  Colonel  Duncan, 
of  Kentucky.  Lieutenant  Beverly  Randolph,  C. 
S.  N.,  aided  Colonel  F.  J.  Thomas  in  the  command 
of  the  body  of  troops  he  led  into  action,  and  fought 
with  gallantry.  With  these  was  my  gallant  friend, 
Captain  BarloAV  Mason,  who  was  mortally  wounded. 
I  have  already  mentioned  the  brave  death  of  ord- 
nance officer  Colonel  F.  J.  Thomas.  I  was  much 
indebted,  also,  to  Colonels  J.  J.  Preston,  Manning, 
i\riles  and  Chisholm,  and  Captain  Stevens,  of  the  En- 
gineer Corps,  members  of  General  Beauregard's 
staff,  who  kindly  proffered  their  services,  and  ren- 
dered efficient  and  valuable  aid,  at  different  times 
during  the  day.  Colonel  G.  W.  Lay,  of  General 
Bonham's  staff,  delivered  my  instructions  to  the 
troops  sent  in  pursuit  and  to  intercept  the  enemy, 
with  much  intelligence  and  courage. 

It  wall  be  remarked  that  the  three  Brigadier- 
Generals  of  the  army  of  the  Shenandoah  were  all 
wounded.  I  have  already  mentioned  the  wound  of 
General  Smith.  General  Jackson,  though  painfully 
wounded  Carly  in  the  day,  commanded  hi^  brigade 


114 

to  the  close  of  the  action.  General  Bee,  after  great 
exposure  at  the  commencement  of  the  engagement, 
was  mortally  wounded,  just  as  our  reinforcements 
were  coming  up. 

The  apparent  firmness  of  the  United  States  troops 
at  Centreville,  who  had  not  been  engaged,  which 
checked  our  pursuit;  the  strong  forces  occupying 
the  works  near  Georgetown,  Arlington  and  Alex- 
andria ;  the  certainty,  too,  that  General  Patterson, 
if  needed,  would  reach  Washington,  with  his  army 
of  thirty  thousand  men,  sooner  than  we  could  ;  and 
the  condition  and  inadequate  means  of  the  army  in 
ammunition,  provisions  and  transportation,  pre- 
vented any  serious  thoughts  of  advancing  against 
the  Capital.  It  is  certain  that  the  fresh  troops 
within  the  works  were,  in  number,  quite  sufficient 
for  their  defence ;  if  not,  General  Patterson's  army 
would  certainly  reinforce  them  soon  enough. 

This  report  will  be  presented  to  you  by  my  Aid-de- 
Camp,  Lieutenant  J.  B.  Washington,  by  whom,  and 
by  General  Beauregard's  Aid,  Lieutenant  Ferguson, 
the  captured  colors  are  transmitted  to  the  War  De- 
partment. 

Most  respectfully. 

Your  ob't  serv't, 
(Signed,)  J.  E.  JOHNSTON, 


(Official.)  R.  II.   Cjiilton, 

A.  A.    GeJieral. 


REPORT   OF  GEN.  BEAUREGARD,  OF  THE 
BATTLE  OF  MANASSAS. 


Headquarters  1st  Corps  Army  of  the  Potomac, 
Manassas,  August  26tli,  18G1. 


Gen 


eral: 


The  War  Department  having  been  informed  by 
me,  by  telegraph  on  the  17th  of  July,  of  the  move- 
ment of  Gen.  McDowell — Gen.  Johnston  was  imme- 
diately ordered  to  form  a  junction  of  his  Army  Corps 
with  mine,  should  the  movement,  in  his  judgment,  be 
deemed  advisable.  Gen.  Holmes  was  also  directed  to 
push  forward  with  two  regiments,  a  battery,  and  one 
company  of  cavalry. 

In  view  of  these  propositions,  approaching  rein- 
forcements, modifying  my  plan  of  operations,  so  far 
as  to  determine  on  attacking  the  enemy  at  Centreville, 
as  soon  as  I  should  hear  of  the  near  approach  of  the 
two  reinforcing  columns,  I  sent  one  of  my  Aids,  Col. 
Chisholm,  of  South  Carolina,  to  meet  and  communi- 
cate my  plans  to  Gen.  Johnston,  and  ray  wish  that 
one  portion  of  his  forces  should  march  by  the  way  of 
Aldie,  and  take  the  enemy  on  his  right  flank  and  in 


1 1  () 


reverse  at  Centreville.  Difficulties,  however,  of  an 
insuperable  cliaractcr,  in  connection  with  means  of 
transportation,  and  the  marching  condition  of  his 
troops,  made  this  impracticable,  and  it  was  deter- 
mined our  forces  should  be  united  within  the  lines 
of  Bull  Run,  and  thence  advance  to  the  attack  of  the 
enemy. 

Gen.  Johnston  arrived  here  about  noon  on  the 
2()th  July,  and  being  my  senior  in  rank,  he  necessa- 
rily assumed  command  of  all  the  forces  of  the  Confed- 
erate States,  then  concentrating  at  this  point.  Made 
acquainted  with  my  plan  of  operations  and  disposi- 
tions to  meet  the  enemy,  he  gave  them  his  entire 
approval,  and  generously  directed  their  execution 
under  my  command. 

In  consequence  of  the  untoward  detention,  how- 
ever, of  some  (5,000)  five  thousand  of  General  John- 
ston's Army  Corps,  resulting  from  the  inadequate 
and  imperfect  means  of  transportation  for  so  many 
troops,  at  the  disposition  of  the  iNIanassas  Gap  Rail- 
road, it  became  necessary,  on  the  morning  of  the  21  st, 
before  daylight,  to  modify  the  plan  accepted,  to  suit 
the  contingency  of  an  immediate  attack  on  our  lines, 
b}^  the  main  force  of  the  enemy,  then  plainly  at  hand. 

The  enemy's  forces,  reported  by  their  best  inform- 
ed journals  to  be  55,000  strong,  I  had  learned  from 
reliable  sources,  on  the  night  of  the  2()th,  were  being 
concentrated  in  and  around  Centreville,  and  along 
the  Warrenton  Turnpike  road,  to  Bull  Run,  near 
which,  our  respective  pickets  were  in  immediate 
proximity.  This  fact,  with  the  conviction  that,  after 
his  signal  discomfiture  on  the  ISth  of  July,  before 
Blackburn's  Ford — the  centre  of  my  lines — he  would 
not  renew  the  attack  in  that  quarter,  induced  me  at 
once  to  look  for  an  attempt  on  my  left  flank,  resting 


117 

on  the  Stone  Bridge,  wliicli  was  but  weakly  guarded 
by  men,  as  well  as  but  slightly  provided  with  artificial 
defensive  appliances  and  artillery. 

In  view^  of  these  palpable  military  conditions,  by 
half-past  four,  A.  M.,  on  the  21st  July,  I  had  prepared 
and  dispatched  orders,  directing  the  whole  of  the 
Confederate  forces  within  the  lines  of  Bull  Run,  in- 
cluding the  brigades  and  regiments  of  Gen.  Johnston, 
which  had  arrived  at  that  time,  to  be  held  in  readi- 
ness to  march  at  a  moment's  notice. 

At  that  hour,  the  following  was  the  disposition 
of  our  forces  : 

Ewell's  Brigade,  constituted  as  on  the  18th  July, 
remained  in  position  at  Union  Mills  Ford,  its  left 
extending  along  Bull  Run  in  the  direction  of  Mc- 
Lean's Ford,  and  supported  by  Holmes's  Brigade,  2nd 
Tennessee  and  1st  Arkansas  Regiments,  a  short  dis- 
tance to  the  rear — that  is,  at  and  near  Camp  Wigfall. 

D.  R.  Jones's  Brigade — from  Ewell's  left,  in  front 
of  McLean's  Ford,  and  along  the  stream  to  Long- 
street's  position.  It  was  unchanged  in  organization, 
and  was  supported  by  Early's  Brigade — also  un- 
changed— placed  behind  a  thicket  of  young  pines,  a 
short  distance  in  the  rear  of  McLean's  Ford. 

Longstreet's  Brigade  held  its  former  ground  at 
Blackburn's  Ford,  from  Jones's  left  to  Bonham's 
right,  at  Mitchell's  Ford,  and  was  supported  by  Jack- 
son's Brigade,  consist-ing  of  Colonels  James  L.  Pres- 
ton's 4th,  Harper's  5th,  Allen's  2nd,  the  27th,  (Lieut. 
Col.  Echol's,)  and  the  33rd,  (Cumming's,)  Virginia 
Regiments,  2,G11  strong,  which  were  posted  behind 
the  skirting  of  pines,  to  the  rear  of  Blackburn's  and 
Mitchell's  Ford;  and  in  rear  of  this  support  w^as, 
also,  Barksdale's  13th  Regiment  Mississippi  Vol- 
unteers, which  had  lately  arrived  from   Lynchburg. 


118 

Along  the  edge  of  a  pine  thicket,  in  rear  of,  and 
equi-distant  from  McLean's  and  Blackburn's  Fords, 
ready  to  support  cither  position,  I  had  also  placed  all 
of  Bee's  and  Bartow's  Brigades  that  had  arrived, 
namely:  two  companies  of  the  11th  Mississippi, 
Lieut.  Col.  Liddell;  the  2nd  Mississippi,  Col.  Falk- 
ner,  and  the  4th  Alabama,  with  the  7th  and  8th 
Georgia  Regiments,  (Colonels  Gartrell  and  Lieut. 
Col.  Gardner,)  in  all  2,732  bayonets. 

Bonham's  Brigade,  as  before,  held  Mitchell's  Ford, 
its  right  near  Longstreet's  left,  its  left  extending  in 
the  direction  of  Cocke's  right.  It  was  organized  as 
at  the  end  of  the  18th  of  July,  Avith  Jackson's  Bri- 
gade, as  before  said,  as  a  support. 

Cocke's  Brigade,  increased  by  seven  companies  of 
the  8th,  (ITunton's,)  three  companies  of  the  49th, 
(Smith's,)  Virginia  Regiments,  two  companies  of 
cavalry,  and  a  battery  under  Rogers,  of  four  6- 
pounders,  occupied  the  line  in  front  and  rear  of  Bull 
Run,  extending  from  the  direction  of  Bonham's  left, 
and  guarding  Island,  Ball's  and  Lewis's  Fords,  to 
the  rigjit  of  Evans's  Demi-Brigade  near  the  Stone 
Bridge,  also  under  General  Cocke's  command. 

The  latter  held  the  Stone  Bridge,  and  its  left 
covered  a  farm  ford  about  one  mile  above  the  bridge. 

Stuart's  cavalry,  some  three  hundred  men  of  the 
Army  of  the  Shenandoah,  guarded  the  level  ground 
extending  in  rear  from  Bonham's  left  to  Cocke's 
right. 

Two  companies  of  Radford's  cavalry  were  held  in 
reserve,  a  short  distance  in  rear  of  Mitchell's  Ford, 
his  left  extending  in  the   direction  of  Stuart's  right. 

Colonel  Pendleton's  reserve  battery,  of  eight 
pieces,  was  temporarily  placed  in  rear  of  Bonham's 
extreme  left. 


119 

Major  Walton's  reserve  battery,  of  five  guns,  was 
in  position  on  McLean's  farm,  in  a  piece  of  woods  in 
rear  of  Bee's  right. 

Hampton's  Legion,  of  six  companies  of  infantry, 
six  hundred  strong,  having  arrived  that  morning,  by 
the  cars,  from  Richmond,  was  subsequently,  as  soon 
as  it  arrived,  ordered  forward  to  a  position  in  im- 
mediate vicinity  of  the  Lewis  House,  as  a  support 
for  any  troops  engaged  in  that  quarter. 

The  effective  force  of  all  arms,  of  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac,  on  that  eventful  morning,  including  the 
garrison  of  Camp  Pickens,  did  not  exceed  21,833, 
and  29  guns. 

The  Army  of  the  Shenandoah,  ready  for  action 
on  the  field,  may  be  set  at  6,000  men,  and  20  guns.* 

The  Brigade  of  Ger.eral  Holmes  mustered  about 
1,265  bayonets,  six  guns,  and  a  company  of  cav- 
alry,  about   90  strong. 

Informed  at  5.30,  A.  M.,  by  Colonel  Evans,  that 
the  enemy  had  deployed  some  twelve  hundred  men,t 
with  several  pieces  of  artillery,  in  his  immediate  front, 
I  at  once  ordered  him,  as  also  General  Cocke,  if  at- 
tacked, to  maintain  their  position  to  the  last  extremi- 


*  That  is,  when  the  battle  began — Smith's  Brigade  and 
Fisher's  Nortli  Carolina,  came  up  later,  and  made  total  of 
army  of  Shenandoah  engaged,  of  all  arms,  8,334.  Hill's 
Virginia  Regiment,  550,  also  arrived,  but  Avas  posted  as 
reserve  to  right  liank. 

t  These  were  wliat  Colonel  Evans  saw  of  General 
Schenck's  Brigade  of  General  T3^1er's  Division,  and  two 
other  heavy  brigades,  in  all.  over  9,000  men,  and  13  pieces 
of  artillery— Carlisle's  and  Ayres's  Batteries.  That  is, 
000  men,  and  two  6-pounders,  confronted  by  9,000  men, 
and  thirteen  pieces  of  artillcrj^,  mostly  rifled. 


120 

In  my  opinion,  the  most  effective  method  of  reliev- 
ing that  flank  was  by  a  rapid,  determined  attack  with 
my  right  wing  and  centre  on  the  enemy's  flank  and 
rear  at  Centreville,  w4th  due  precautions  against 
the  advance  of  his  reserves  from  the  direction  of 
Washington.  By  such  a  movement,  I  confidently 
expected  to  achieve  a  complete  victory  for  my  country 
by  12,  M. 

These  new  dispositions  were  submitted  to  General 
Johnston,  who  fully  approved  them,  and  the  orders 
for  their  immediate   execution  were   at  once  issued. 

Brigadier  General  Ewell  w\as  directed  to  begin  the 
movement,  to  be  followed  and  supported  successively 
by  Generals  D.  R.  Jones,  Longstreet  and  Bonham, 
respectively,  supported  by  their  several  appointed 
reserves. 

The  cavalry  under  Stuart  and  Radford  were  to 
be  held  in  hand,  subject  to  future  orders  and  ready 
for  employment,  as  might  be  required  by  the  exigen- 
cies of  the  battle. 

About  8.30,  A.  M.,  General  Johnston  and  myself 
transferred  our  headquarters  to  a  central  position 
about  half  a  mile  in  rear  of  Mitchell's  Ford,  whence 
we  might  watch  the  course  of  events. 

Previously,  as  early  as  5.30,  the  Federalists  in 
front  of  Evans's  position — Stone  Bridge — had 
opened  with  a  large  30-pounder  Parrot  rifle  gun, 
and  thirty  minutes  later,  with  a  moderate,  appar- 
ently tentative  fire,  from  a  battery  of  rifle  pieces, 
directed  first  in  front  at  Evans's,  and  then  in  the 
direction  of  Cocke's  position,  but  without  drawing  a 
return  fire  and  discovery  of  our  positions,  chiefly 
because  in  that  quarter  we  had  nothing  but  eight 
6 -pounder  pieces,  which  could  not  reach  the  distant 
enemy. 


121 

As  the  Federalists  had  advanced  with  an  extended 
line  of  skirmishers  in  front  of  Evans,  that  officer 
promptly  threw  forward  the  two  flank  companies  of 
the  4th  South  Carolina  Regiment  and  one  company 
of  Wheat's  Louisiana  Battalion,  deployed  as  skir- 
mishers, to  cover  his  small  front.  An  occasional 
scattering  fire  resulted,  and  thus  stood  the  two  ar- 
mies in  that  quarter  for  more  than  an  hour,  while  the 
main  body  of  the  enemy  was  marching  his  devious 
way  through  the  ''  Big  Forest"  to  take  our  forces  in 
flank  and  rear. 

By  8.30,  A.  M.,  Colonel  Evans,  having  become 
satisfied  of  the  counterfeit  character  of  the  move- 
ment on  his  front,  and  persuaded  of  an  attempt  to 
turn  his  left  flank,  decided  to  change  his  position  to 
meet  the  enemy,  and  for  this  purpose  immediately 
put  in  motion  to  his  left  and  rear  six  companies  of 
Sloan's  4th  South  Carolina  Bcgiment,  Wheat's 
Louisiana  Battalion,  five  companies,  and  two  6- poun- 
ders of  Latham's  Battery,  leaving  four  companies  of 
Sloan's  Regiment  under  cover  as  the  sole,  immediate 
defence  of  the  Stone  Bridge,  but  giving  information 
to  General  Cocke  of  his  change  of  position,  and  the 
reasons  that  impelled  it. 

Following  a  road  leading  by  the  Old  Pittsylvania 
(Carter)  Mansion,  Colonel  Evans  formed  in  line  of 
battle  some  four  hundred  yards  in  rear — as  he  ad- 
vanced— of  that  house,  his  guns  to  the  front  and  in 
position,  properly  supported,  to  its  immediate  right. 
Finding,  however,  that  the  enemy  did  not  appear  on 
that  road,  which  was  a  branch  of  one  leading  by 
Sudley's  Springs  Ford  to  Brentsville  and  Dum- 
fries, he  turned  abruptly  to  the  left,  and,  marching 
across  the  fields  for  three-quarters  of  a  mile — about 
9.30,  A.  M. — took  a  position  in  line  of  battle  ;  his 


122 

left,  Sloan's  companies,  resting  on  the  main  Brents- 
ville  Road  in  a  shallow  ravine,  the  Louisiana  Bat- 
talion to  the  right,  in  advance  some  two  hundred 
yards,  a  rectangular  copse  of  wood  separating  them. 
One  piece  of  his  artillery,  planted  on  an  eminence 
some  seven  hundred  yards  to  the  rear  of  Wheat's 
Battalion,  and  the  other  on  a  ridge  near,  and  in  rear 
of  Sloan's  position,  commanding  a  reach  of  the  road 
just  in  front  of  the  line  of  battle.  In  this  order  he 
awaited  the  coming  of  the  masses  of  the  enemy,  now 
drawing  near. 

In  the  meantime,  about  7  o'clock,  A.  M.,  Jackson's 
Brigade,  with  Imboden's,  and  five  pieces  of  Wal- 
ton's Battery,  had  been  sent  to  take  up  a  position 
along  Bull  Hun  to  guard  the  interval  between  Cocke's 
right  and  Bonham's  left,  with  orders  to  support  either, 
in  case  of  need — the  character  and  topographical 
features  of  the  ground  having  been  shown  to  General 
Jackson,  by  Captain  D.  B.  Harris,  of  the  Engineers 
of  this  Army  Corps. 

So  much  of  Bee's  and  Bartow's  Brigades,  now 
united,  as  had  arrived — some  2,800  muskets — had 
also  been  sent  forward  to  the  support  of  the  position 
of  the  Stone  Bridge. 

The  enemy,  beginning  his  detour  from  the  turn- 
pike, at  a  point  nearly  half-way  between  Stone  Bridge 
and  Centreville,  had  pursued  a  tortuous,  narrow  trace 
of  a  rarely  used  road,  through  a  dense  wood,  the 
greater  part  of  his  Avay  until  near  the  Sudley  Road. 
A  division,  under  Colonel  Hunter,  of  the  Federal 
Regular  Army,  of  two  strong  brigades,  was  in  the 
advance,  followed  immediately  by  another  division, 
under  Colonel  Heintzelman,  of  three  brigades,  and 
seven  companies  of  regular  cavalry,  and  twenty-four 
pieces  of  artillery — eighteen  of  which  were  rifle  guns. 


123 

This  column,  as  it  crossed  Bull  Run,  numbered  over 
16,000  men,  of  all  arms,  by  their  own  accounts. 

Burnside's  Bris:ade — which  here,  as  at  Fairfax  C. 
H.,  led  the  advance — at  about  9.45,  A.  M.,  de- 
bouched from  a  wood  in  sight  of  Evans's  position, 
some   500  yards  distant  from  Wheat's  Battalion, 

He  immediately  threw  forward  his  skirmishers  in 
force,  and  they  became  engaged  with  Wheat's  com- 
mand, and  the  G-pounder  gun,  under  Lieutenant 
Left  witch. 

The  Federalists  at  once  advanced,  as  they  report 
officially,  the  2d  Rhode  Island  Regiment  Volunteers, 
with  its  vaunted  batter}^,  of  six  13-pounder  rifle  guns. 
Sloan's  companies  were  then  brought  into  action, 
having  been  pushed  forward  through  the  woods. 
The  enemy,  soon  galled  and  staggered  by  the  jBre, 
and  pressed  by  the  determined  valor,  with  w^hich 
Wheat  handled  his  battalion,  until  he  was  desperately 
wounded,  hastened  up  three  other  regiments  of  the 
brigade  and  two  Dahlgreon  howitzers,  making  in  all 
quite  3,500  bayonets,  and  eight  pieces  of  artillery, 
opposed  to  less  than  8'JO  men,  and  two  6-pounder 
guns. 

Despite  this  odds,  this  intrepid  command,  of  but 
eleven  weak  companies,  maintained  its  front  to  the 
enemy  for  quite  an  hour,  and  until  General  Bee  came 
to  their  aid  with  his  command.  The  heroic  Bee,  w^th 
a  soldier's  eye  and  recognition  of  the  situation,  had 
previously  disposed  his  command  with  skill — Imbo- 
den's  battery  having  been  admirably  placed  between 
the  two  brigades,  under  shelter,  behind  the  undula- 
tions of  a  hill  about  150  yards  north  of  the  now 
famous  Henry  House,  and  very  near  where  he  sub- 
sequently fell,  mortally  wounded,  to  the  great  mis- 


124 

fortune  of  his  country,  but  after  deeds  of  deliberate 
and  ever  memorable    courage. 

Meanwhile,  the  enemy  had  pushed  forward  a  bat- 
talion of  eight  companies  of  regular  infantry,  and 
one  of  their  best  batteries,  of  six  pieces,  (four  rifled), 
supported  by  four  companies  of  marines,  to  increase 
the  desperate  odds  against  which  Evans  and  his  men 
had  maintained  their  stand,  with  an  almost  matchless 
tenacity. 

General  Bee,  now  finding  Evans  sorely  pressed, 
under  the  crushing  weight  of  the  masses  of  the 
enemy,  at  the  call  of  Colonel  Evans,  threw  forward 
his  whole  force  to  h^s  aid  across  a  small  stream- 
Young's  Branch  and  Valley — and  engaged  the  Fed- 
eralists with  impetuosity  ;  Imboden's  Battery  at  the 
time  playing  from  his  well  chosen  position  with 
brilliant  effect  with  spherical  case,  the  enemy  having 
first  opened  on  him  from  a  rifle  battery,  probably 
Griffin's,  with  elongated  cylindrical  shells,  which  flew 
a  few  feet  over  the  heads  of  our  men,  and  exploded 
in  the  crest  of  the  hill  immediately  in  rear. 

As  Bee  advanced  under  a  severe  lire,  he  placed 
the  7th  and  8th  Georgia  Regiments,  under  the 
chivalrous  Bartow,  at  about  11,  A.  M.,  in  a  wood  of 
second-growth  pines  to  the  right  and  front  of,  and 
nearly  perpendicular  to  Evans's  line  of  battle ;  the 
4th  Alabama  to  the  left  of  them,  along  a  fence  con- 
necting the  position  of  the  Georgia  Regiments  with 
the  rectangular  copse  in  which  Sloan's  South  Caro- 
lina companies  were  engaged,  and  into  wdiich,  he  also 
threw  the  2nd  Mississippi.  A  fierce  and  destructive 
conflict  now  ensued — the  fire  was  withering  on  both 
sides,  w^hile  the  enemy  swept  our  short,  thin  lines 
with  their  numerous  artillery,  which,  according  to 
their  official  reports,  at  this  time  consisted  of  at  least 


126 

ten  rifle  guns  and  four  howitzers.  For  an  hour,  did 
these  stout-hearted  men  of  the  blended  commands  of 
Bee,  Evans  and  Bartow,  breast  an  unintcrmitting 
battle-storm,  animated  surely,  by  something  more 
than  the  ordinary  courage  of  even  the  bravest  men 
under  fire ;  it  must  have  been,  indeed,  the  inspiration 
of  the  cause,  and  consciousness?  of  the  great  stake  at 
issue,  which  thus  nerved  and  animated  one  and  all, 
to  stand  unawed  and  unshrinking  in  such  extremity. 

Two  Federal  Brigades,  of  llcintzlcman's  Division, 
were  now  brought  into  action,  led  by  Ricketts's  su- 
perb light  Battery,  of  six  10-pounder  rifle  guns, 
which,  posted  on  an  eminence  to  the  right  of  the 
Sudley  Road,  opened  fire  on  Imboden's  Battery — 
about  this  time  increased  by  two  rifle  pieces  of  the 
Washington  Artillery,  under  Lieut.  Richardson,  and 
already  the  mark  of  two  batteries,  which  divided 
their  fire  with  Imboden,  and  two  guns,  under  Lieu- 
tenants Davidson  and  Leftwitch,  of  Latham's  Bat- 
tery, posted  as  before  mentioned. 

At  this  time,  confronting  the  enemy,  we  had  still 
but  Evans's  eleven  companies  and  two  guns — Bee's 
and  BartOAv's  four  regiments,  the  two  companies  11  th 
Mississippi,  under  Lieut.  Col.  Liddell,  and  the  six 
pieces,  under  Lnboden  and  Richardson.  The  enemy 
had  two  divisions,  of  four  strong  brigades,  including 
seventeen  companies  of  regular  infantry,  cavalry  and 
artillery,  four  companies  of  marines,  and  twenty 
pieces  of  artillery,*  Against  this  odds,  scarcely 
credible,  our  advance  position  was  still  for  a  while 
maintained,  and  the  enemy's  ranks  constantly  broken 


*  See   Offici-''!    Reports    of  Colonels   llcint/lonmi-i.   Por- 
ter, A:c. 


126 

and  shattered  under  the  scorching  fire  of  our  men ; 
but  fresh  regiments  of  the  Federalists  came  upon 
the  fiekl,  Sherman's  and  Keye's  Brigades,  of  Tyler's 
Division,  as  is  stated  in  their  reports,  numbering 
over  6,000  bayonets,  which  had  found  a  passage 
across  the  Run,  about  800  3^ards  above  the  Stone 
Bridge,  threatened  our  right. 

Heavy  losses  had  now  been  sustained  on  our  side, 
both  in  numbers  and  in  the  personal  worth  of  the 
slain.  The  8th  Georgia  Regiment  had  suffered 
heavily,  being  exposed  as  it  took  and  maintained  its 
position,  to  a  fire  from  the  enemy,  already  posted 
within  a  hundred  yards  of  their  front  and  right, 
sheltered  by  fences  and  other  cover.  It  was  at 
this  time  that  Lieut.  Col.  Gardner  was  severely 
wounded,  as  also  several  other  valuable  officers  ;  the 
Adjutant  of  the  Regiment,  Lieut.  Branch,  was  killed, 
and  the  horse  of  the  regretted  Bartow  was  shot  un- 
der him.  The  4th  Alabama  also  suffered  severely 
from  the  deadly  fire  of  the  thousands  of  muskets 
which  they  so  dauntlessly  affronted  under  the  im- 
mediate leadership  of  Bee  himself.  Its  brave  Col- 
onel, E.  J.  Jones,  was  dangerously  wounded,  and 
many  gallant  officers  fell,  olain,  or  hors  de  comhat. 

Now,  however,  with  the  surging  mass  of  over 
fourteen  thousand  Federal  infantry,  pressing  on  their 
front  and  under  the  incessant  fire  of  at  least  tAventy 
pieces  of  artillery,  with  the  fresh  Brigades  of  Sher- 
man and  Keye's  approaching — the  latter  already  in 
musket  range — our  lines  gave  back,  but  under  orders 
from  Gen.  Bee. 

The  enemy,  maintaining  their  fire,  pressed  their 
swelling  masses  onward  as  our  shattered  battalions 
retired  ;  the  slaughter  for  the  moment  was  deplorable, 


127 

and  has  filled  many  a  Southern  home  with  lite-long 
sorrow. 

Under  this  inexorable  stress,  the  retreat  con- 
tinued, until  arrested  by  the  energy  and  resolution  of 
Gen.  Bee,  supported  by  Bartow  and  Evans,  just  in 
rear  of  the  Robinson  House,  and  Hampton's  Legion 
which  had  been  already  advanced,  and  Avas  in  posi- 
tion near  it. 

Imbodcn's  Battery,  Avhich  had  been  handled  with 
marked  skill,  but  whose  men  were  almost  exhausted, 
and  the  two  pieces  of  Walton's  Battery,  under  Lieut. 
Richardson,  being  threatened  b}^  the  enemy's  in- 
ftmtry  on  the  left  and  front,  were  also  obliged  to 
fall  back — Imboden  leaving  a  disabled  piece  on  the 
ground  retired  until  he  met  Jackson's  Brigade,  while 
Richardson  joined  the  main  body  of  his  battery  near 
the  Lewis  House. 

As  our  infantry  retired  from  the  extreme  front, 
the  two  six-pounders  of  Latham's  Battery,  before 
mentioned,  fell  back  with  excellent  judgment  to 
suitable  positions  in  the  rear,  whence  an  eifective 
fire  was  maintained  upon  the  still  advancing  lines  of 
the  Federalists,  with  damaging  effect,  until  their  am- 
munition was  nearly  exhausted,  when  they,  too,  were 
withdrawn  in  the  near  presence  of  the  enemy,  and 
rejoined  their  captain. 

From  the  point,  previously  indicated,  where 
General  Johnston  and  myself  had  established  our 
headquarters,  we  heard  the  continuous  roll  of  mus- 
ketry, and  the  sustained  din  of  the  artillery,  which 
announced  the  serious  outburst  of  the  battle  on  our 
left  flank,  and  we  anxiously,  but  confidently,  awaited 
similar  sounds  of  conflict  from  our  front  at  Centre- 
ville,  resulting  from  the  prescribed  attack  in  that 
quarter,  by  our  right  wing. 


128 

At  half  past  ten,  A.  M.,  however,  this  expectation 
was  dissipated  by  a  dispatch  from  Brig.  Gen.  Ewcll, 
informing  me,  to  my  profound  disappointment,  tliat 
my  orders  for  his  advance  had  miscarried,  but,  that 
in  consequence  of  a  communication  from  General 
D.  R.  Jones,  he  had  just  thrown  his  brigade  across 
the  stream  at  Union  Mills.  But,  in  my  judgment, 
it  was  now  too  la.te  for  the  effective  execution  of 
the  contemplated  movement,  which  must  have  re- 
quired quite  three  hours  for  the  troops  to  get  into 
position  for  the  attack.  Therefore,  it  became  im- 
mediately necessary  to  depend  on  new  combinations, 
and  other  dispositions  suited  to  the  now  pressing 
exigency.  The  movement  of  the  right  and  centre, 
already  begun  by  Jones  and  Longstreet,  was  at  once 
countermanded,  with  the  sanction  of  General  John- 
ston, and  we  arranged  to  meet  the  enemy  on  the  field 
upon  which  he  had  chosen  to  give  us  battle.  Under 
these  circumstances,  our  reserves,  not  already  in 
movement,  were  immediately  ordered  up  to  support 
our  left  flank,  namely:  Holmes's  two  regiments, 
and  battery  of  artillery,  under  Captain  Lindsey 
Walker,  of  six  guns,  and  Barley's  Brigade.  Two 
regiments  from  Bonham's  brigade,  with  Kemper's 
four  six-pounders  were  also  called  for,  and,  with 
the  sanction  of  General  Johnston,  Generals  Ewell, 
Jones,  (D.  R.,)  Longstreet  and  Bonham  w^ere  di- 
rected to  make  a  demonstration  to  their  several 
fronts  to  retain  and  engross  the  enemy's  reserves 
and  any  forces  on  their  flank,  and  at  and  around  Cen- 
treville.  Previously,  our  respective  Chiefs  of  Staff, 
Major  Rhett  and  Colonel  Jordan,  had  been  left  at 
my  headquarters  to  hasten  up,  and  give  directions 
to  any  troops  that  might  arrive  at  Manassas. 

These  orders  having  been  duly  dispatched  by  staff 


129 

officers  at  11.30,  A.  M.,  General  Johnston  and  my- 
self set  out  for  the  immediate  field  of  action,  which 
we  reached  in  rear  of  the  Robinson  and  Widow 
Henry's  Houses,  at  about  12  meridian,  and  just  as 
the  commands  of  Bee,  Bartow  and  Evans,  had  taken 
shelter  in  a  wooded  ravine  behind  the  former,  stoutly 
held  at  the  time  by  Hampton  with  his  Legion,  which 
had  made  a  stand  there  after  having  previously  been 
as  far  forward  as  the  Turnpike,  where  Lieutenant  Col- 
onel Johnston,  an  officer  of  brilliant  promise,  was 
killed,  and  other  severe  losses  were  sustained. 

Before  our  arrival  upon  the  scene.  General  Jack- 
son had  moved  forward  with  his  Brigade,  of  live  Vir- 
ginia regiments,   from  his  position  in  reserve,   and 
had  judiciously  taken  post  below    the  brim   of   the 
plateau,  nearly  east  of  the  Henry  House,  and  to  the 
1  left  of  the  ravine  and  woods  occupied  by  the  mingled 
remnants  of  Bee's,  Bartow's  and  Evans's  command, 
with  Imboden's  Battery,  and  two  of  Stanard's  pieces, 
placed  so  as  to  play  upon  the  on-coming  enemy,  sup- 
:  ported  in  the  immediate  rear  by  Colonel  J.  L.  Pres- 
;  ton's  and  Lieut.  Colonel  Echols's  Regiments,  on  the 
I  right  by  Harper's,  and  on  the  left  by  Allen's  and 
I  Cummiijgs's  Regiment. 

As  soon  as  General  Johnston  and  myself  reached 
the  field,  we  were  occupied  with  the  reorganization 
of  the  heroic  troops,  whose  previous  stand,  with 
scarce  a  parallel,  has  nothing  more  valiant  in  all  the 
pages  of  history,  and  whose  losses  fitly  tell  why,  at 
length,  their  ranks  had  lost  their  cohesion.  It  was 
now  that  General  Johnston,  impressively  and  gallant- 
ly charged  to  the  front,  with  the  colors  of  the  Fourth 
Alabama  Regiment  by  his  side,  all  the  field  officers 
of  the  regiment  having  been  previously  disabled. 
Shortly  afterwards  I  placerl  S.  R.  Gist,  Adjutant 
5 


mil 
lair- 


130 

and  Inspector  General  of  South  Carolina,  a  volun- 
toor  Aid  of*  General  Bee,  in  command  of  this  reiri- 
ment,  and  Avho  led  it  again  to  the  front  as  became 
its  previous  ])ehavior,  and  remained  with  it  for  tlie 
rest  of  the  day. 

As  soon  as  we  had  thus  rallied  and  disposed  our 
forces,  I  urged  General  Johnston  to  leave  the  ir 
mediate  con-luct  of  the  field  to  me,  ^Yhile  ho,  repai 
ing  to  Portici — the  I.ewis  House — should  urge  ]• 
jnforcernents  forwanl.  At  first  he  Avas  unwillii^j. 
but  reminded  tliat  cue  of  us  must  do  so,  auil  that, 
properly,  it  ^vas  his  place,  he  vuluctantly,  Init  fortu* 
natcly,  com})lied ;  fortunately,  because  from  that 
position,  by  his  energy  and  sagacity,  his  keen  per^ 
ception  and  anticipation  of  my  needs,  he  so  directed 
the  reserves  as  to  ensure  the  success  of  the  day.     .  , 

As  General  Jolmston  dcp;irted  for  J*ortici,  Colo- 
nel Bartow  reported  to  me  -with  the  reuiains  of  the 
Seventh  Georgia  volunteers — Gaitrelhs — which  I 
ordered  him  to  post  on  the  left  of  Jackson's  line,  in 
the  edge  of  the  belt  of  pines  bordering  the  south- 
eastern rim  of  the  plateau,  on  whicli  the  ])altle  was 
now  to  I'age  so  long  and  so  licrcely. 

Col.  Wm.  Smith  s  Battalion  of  the  -^lOth   Virginia 
Volunteers,  having  also  come    up  by   my  orders,  I 
placed  it  on  the  left  of  GartrelTs  as  my  extreme  left 
at  the  time.     Ke})airing  then  to  the  right,  I  placed 
Hampton's  Legion,  which   had  sulfered  greatly,  on 
that  flank,  somewliafc  to  the  rear  of  Harper's  llegi- i 
nient,    and    also    tlie  seven  companies,    of    the   8th' 
(Hunton's)  Virginia.  Regiment,  which,  detached  from 
Cocke's  Brigade,   l)y  my  orders,   and  those  of  Gen. 
Johnston,    had     opportunely    reached    the    ground. 
These,  with  Harper  s  Regiment,  constituted  a  reserve, ' 
to  protect  our  right  flank  from  an  advance  of  the 


131 

enemy  from  the  quarter  of  tlic  Stone  Bridge,  and 
served  as,  a  support  for  the  line  of  battle,  which  was 
formed  on  the  right  by  Bee's  and  Evans's  commands, 
in  the  centre  by  four  regiments  of  Jackson's  Brigade, 
with  Imbodcn's  four  six-pounders,  Walton's  five  guns 
(two  rilled,)  two  guns  (one  piece  rifled)  of  Stanard's 
and  tAvo  six-pounders,  of  Rogers's  Batteries,  the  lat- 
ter under  Lt.  Hcaton  ;  and  on  the  left  by  Gartrell's 
reduced  ranks  and  Col.  Smith's  battalion,  subsequent- 
ly reinforced  by  Falkner's  Second  Mississippi  Regi- 
ment, and  by  another  regiment  of  the  Army  of  She- 
nandoah, just  arrived  upon  the  field,  the  Sixth 
(Fisher's)  North  Carolina.  Confronting  the  enemy 
at  this  time,  my  forces  numbered,  at  most,  not  more 
than  G,500  infantry  and  artillerists,  with  but  thirteen 
pieces  of  artillery,  and  two  companies  (Carter's  and 
Hoo;e's)  of  Stuart's  cavalry. 

The  enemy's  force,  now  bearing  hotly  and  confi- 
dently down  on  our  position — regiment  after  regi- 
ment of  the  best  equipped  men  that  ever  took  the 
field — according  to  their  own  official  history  of  the 
day,  was  formed  of  Colonels  Hunter's  and  lieintzel- 
man's  Divisions,  Colonels  Sherman's  and  Keyes's 
Brigades,  of  Tyler's  Division,  and  of  the  formidable 
batteries  of  Ricketts,  Griffin  and  Arnold  regulars, 
and  Second  Rhode  Island,  and  two  Dahlgrecn  howit- 
zers— a  force  of  over  20,()()()  infantry,  seven  compa- 
nies of  regular  cavalry,  and  twenty-four  pieces  of 
improved  artillery.  At  the  same  time,  perilous, 
heavy  reserves  of  infantry  and  artillery  hung  in  the 
distance  around  the  Stone  Bridge,  Mitchell's,  Black- 
burn's and  Union  Mills'  Fords,  visibly  ready  to  fall 
upon  us  at  any  moment;  and  I  was  also  assured  of 
the  existence   of  ntlior  bonvy  corps,  at  and    around 


132 

Centreville  and  elsewhere,  within  convenient  support- 
ing distances. 

Fully  conscious  of  this  portentous  disparity  of 
force,  as  I  posted  the  lines  for  the  encounter,  I 
sought  to  infuse  into  the  hearts  of  my  officers  and 
men,  the  confidence  and  determined  spirit  of  resis- 
tance to  this  wicked  invasion  of  the  homes  of  a 
free  people,  which  I  felt.  I  informed  them  that  re- 
inforcements would  rapidly  come  to  their  support, 
and  that  we  must,  at  all  hazards,  hold  our  posts  until 
reinforced.  I  reminded  them  that  we  fought  for  our 
homes,  our  firesides,  and  for  the  independence  of  our 
country.  I  urged  them  to  the  resolution  of  victory 
or  death  on  that  field.  These  sentiments  were  loud- 
ly, eagerly  cheered,  wheresoever  proclaimed,  and  I 
then  felt  reassured  of  the  unconquerable  spirit  of 
that  army,  which  would  enable  us  to  wrench  victory 
from  the  host  then  threatening  us  with  destruction. 

Oh,  my  country  !  I  would  readily  have  sacrificed 
my  life  and  those  of  all  the  brave  men  around  me, 
to  save  your  honor,  and  to  maintain  your  indepen- 
dence from  the  degrading  yoke  which  those  ruthless 
invaders  had  come  to  impose  and  render  perpetual, 
and  the  day's  issue  has  assured  me,  that  such  emo- 
tions must  also  have  animated  all  under  my  com- 
mand. 

In  the  meantime,  the  enemy  had  seized  upon  the 
plateau,  on  which  Robinson's  and  the  Henry  Houses 
are  situated — the  position  first  occupied  in  the  morn- 
ing by  Gen.  Bee,  before  advancing  to  the  support  of 
Evans — Ricketts'  Battery,  of  six  rifle  guns,  the 
pride  of  the  Federalists,  the  object  of  their  unstinted 
expenditure  in  outfit,  and  the  equally  powerful  Reg- 
ular Light  Battery,  of  Griffin,  were  brought  forward 
and  placed  in   immediaic  action,  after  having,  con- 


133 

jointly  with  the  batteries  already  mentioned,  played 
from  former  positions  with  destructive  effect  upon 
our  forw^ard  battalions. 

The  topographical  features  of  the  plateau,  now  be- 
come the  stage  of  the  contending  armies,  must  be 
described  in  outline. 

A  glance  at  the  map,  Avill  show  that  it  is  enclosed 
on  three  sides  by  small  water  courses,  which  empty 
into  Bull  Kun  within  a  few  yards  of  each  other,  a 
half-a-mile  to  the  south  of  the  Stone  Bridge.  Rising 
to  an  elevation  of  quite  one  hundred  feet  above  the 
level  of  Bull  Run  at  the  Bridge,  it  falls  off  on  three 
sides  to  the  level  of  the  enclosing  streams  in  gentle 
slopes,  but  wdiich  are  furrowed  by  ravines  of 
irregular  direction  and  length,  and  studded  with 
clumps  and  i>atches  of  young  pines  and  oaks.  The 
general  direction  of  the  crest  of  the  plateau,  is  ob- 
lique to  the  course  of  Bull  Run  in  that  quarter, 
and  |to  the  Brentsville  and  Turnpike  Roads  which 
intersect  each  other  at  right  angles.  Immediately 
surrounding  the  two  houses,  before  mentioned,  are 
small  open  fields  of  irregular  outline,  not  exceeding 
loO  acres  in  extent.  The  houses  occupied  at  the 
time,  the  one  by  the  Widow  Henry  and  the  other  by 
the  free  negro  Robinson,  are  small  wooden  buildings, 
the  latter  densely  embowered  in  trees,  and  environed 
by  a  double  row  of  fences  on  two  sides.  Around 
the  eastern  and  southern  brow  of  the  plateau,  an 
almost  unbroken  fringe  of  second-growth  pines,  gave 
excellent  shelter  for  our  marksmen,  who  availed 
themselves  of  it  with  the  most  satisfactory  skill. 
To  the  west,  adjoining  the  fields,  abroad  belt  of  oaks 
extends  directly  across  the  crest  on  both  sides  of  the 
Sudley  Road,  in  which,  during  the  battle,  regiments 
of  both  armies  met  and  contended  for  the  mastery. 


134 

From  the  open  ground  of  this  plateau  the  view 
embraces  a  Avicle  expanse  of  woods,  and  gently 
undulating,  open  country  of  broad  grass  and  grain 
fields  in  all  directions,  including  the  scene  of  Evans 
and  Bee's  recent  encounter  with  the  enemy,  some 
1,200  yards  to  the  northward. 

In  reply  to  the  play  of  the  enemy's  batteries  our 
own  artillery  had  not  been  cither  idle  or  unskillful. 
The  ground  occupied  by  our  guns,  on  a  level  with 
that  lield  by  the  batteries  of  the  enemy,  was  an  open 
space,  ol  limited  extent,  leliind  a  low  undulation, 
just  at  the  eastern  verge  of  the  plateau,  some  500 
or  GOO  yards  from  the  Henry  House.  Here,  as  be- 
fore said,  13  pieces,  mostly  six-pounders,  were 
maintained  in  action.  The  several  batteries  of  Im- 
boden,  Stanard,  Pendleton,.  (Rockbridge  Artillery), 
jind  Alburtis's,  of  the  Army  of  the  Shenandoah,  and 
five  guns  of  Walton's,  and  lleaton's  section  of 
Rogers's  Battery,  of  the  Anny  of  llio  t'otoniac,  al- 
ternating, to  some  extent,  witli  each  otlrr,  and  taking 
part  as  needed  :  all  from  tlve  outset  displaying  tliat 
marvellous  capacity  of  our  peopb^,  as  artillerists, 
which  has  made  them,  it  would  a])pear,  at  once  the 
terror  and  the  admiration  of  the  enemy. 

As  was  soon  apparent,  the  Federalists  had  suf- 
fered severely  froui  our  artillery,  and  from  the  fire  of 
our  musketry  on  the  right,  and  especially  from  the 
left  Hank,  placed  under  cover,  within  Avhose  galling 
range  they  had  been  advanced.  And  we  are  told  in 
their  oilicial  reports,  how  regiment  after  regiment, 
thrown  forward  to  dislodge  us,  was  broken,  never  to 
recover  its  entire  organization  on  that  field. 

In  the  meantime,  also,  two  companies  of  Stuart's 
cavahy  (Carter's  and  Iloge's),  made  a  dashing 
charge  down   the   Brcntsville  iind   Sudlcy  road  upon 


135 

the  Fire  Zouaves — then  the  enemy's  right  on  the 
phiteau — ^vhich  added  to  their  disorder,  Avrought  by 
our  musketry,  on  that  fhink.  But  still,  the  press  of 
the  enemy  Avas  heavy  in  that  quarter  of  the  field, 
as  fresh  troops  ^vcre  thrown  forward  there  to  out- 
flank us  ;  and  some  three  guns  of  a  battery,  in  an 
attempt  to  obtain  a  position,  apparently  to  enfilade 
our  batteries,  were  thrown  so  close  to  the  33d  Re- 
giment, Jackson's  Brigade,  that  that  regiment, 
springing  forward,  seized  them,  but  with  severe  loss, 
and  was  subsequently  driven  back  by  an  overpow- 
ering force  of  Federal  musketry. 

iSow,  lull  2  o'clock,  V,  M.,  I  gave  the  order  for 
the  right  of  uiv  line,  except  my  reserves,  to  advance 
to  recover  tlic  })lateau.  It  was  done  with  uncommon 
resolution  and  vii?:or,  and  at  the  same  time  Jackson's 
Brigade  pierced  the  enemy's  centre  with  the  deter- 
mination of  veterans,  and  the  spirit  of  men  who 
fight  for  a  sacred  cause  ;  but  it  suffered  seriously. 
With  equal  spirit  the  other  parts  of  the  lino  made 
the  onset,  and  the  Federal  lines  were  broken  and 
swept  back  at  all  points  from  the  open  ground  of  the 
plateau.  Ballying  soon,  however,  as  they  were 
strongl}^  reinforced  by  fresh  regiments,  the  Feder- 
alists returned,  and  by  v>'eight  of  numbers,  pressed 
uur  lines  back,  recovered  their  ground  and  guns, 
and  renewed  the  offensive. 

B}^  this  time,  between  half-past  2  and  3  o'clock, 
P.  M.,  our  reinforcements  pushed  forAvard,  and  di- 
rected ])j  General  Johnston  to  the  requircil  qiiarlor, 
were  at  Inind  just  as  I  Inid  ordered  forward,  to  a 
second  effort,  for  the  recovery  of  the  disputed  pla- 
teau, the  whole  line,  including  my  reserve,  which, 
at  this  crisis  of  the  battle,  I  felt  called  upon  to  lead 
in  person.     This  ;ittack  was  general,  and  Avas  shared 


136 

in  by  every  regiment  then  in  the  field,  including  the 
6th,  Fisher's  North  Carolina  regiment,  which  had 
just  come  up  and  taken  position  on  the  immediate 
left  of  the  '19th  Virginia  Regiment.  The  whole  open 
ground  was  again  swept  clear  of  the  enemy,  and  the 
plateau  around  the  Henry  and  Robinson  Houses  re- 
mained finally  in  our  possession,  w^th  the  greater 
part  of  the  Ricketts  and  Griffin  batteries,  and  a 
flag  of  the  1st  Michigan  Regiment,  captured  by  the 
27th  Virginia  Regiment,  (Lieut.  Col.  Echols,)  of 
Jackson's  Brigade.  This  part  of  the  day  was  rich 
with  deeds  of  individual  coolness'  and  dauntless 
conduct,  as  well  as  well-directed,  embodied  resolu- 
tion and  bravery,  but  fraught  with  the  loss  to  the 
service  of  the  country,  of  lives  of  inestimable  pre- 
ciousness  at  this  juncture.  The  brave  Bee  was 
mortally  wounded  at  the  head  of  the  4th  Alabama 
and  some  Mississippians,  in  the  open  field  near  the 
Henry  House  ;  and  a  few  yards  distant,  the  promis- 
ing life  of  Bartow,  while  leading  the  7th  Georgia 
Regiment,  was  quenched  in  blood.  Colonel  F.  J. 
Thomas,  Acting  Chief  of  Ordnance,  of  Gen.  John- 
ston's Staff,  after  gallant  conduct  and  most  efficient 
service,  was  also  slain.  Col.  Fisher — 6th  North 
Carolina — likewise  fell,  after  soldierly  behavior  at 
the  head  of  his  regiment,  with  ranks  greatly 
thinned. 

Withers's  18th  Regiment,  of  Cocke's  Brigade,  had 
come  up  in  tinie  to  follow  this  charge,  and  in  con- 
junction with  Hampton's  Legion,  captured  several 
rifle  pieces,  which  may  have  fallen  previously  in 
possession  of  some  of  our  troops ;  but,  if  so,  had 
been  recovered  by  the  enemy.  These  pieces  were 
immediately  turned,  and  effectively  served  on  distant 


137 

masses  of  the  enemy,  by  the  hands  of  some  of  our 
officers. 

While  the  enemy  had  thus  been  driven  back  on 
our  right,  entirely  across  the  turnpike  and  beyond 
Young's  Branch,  on  our  left,  the  woods  yet  swarmed 
with  them,  when  our  reinforcements  opportunely  ar- 
rived in  quick  succession,  and  took  position  in  that 
portion  of  the  field.  Kershaw's  2nd  and  Cash's  8th 
South  Carolina  Kegiments,  which  had  arrived  soon 
after  Withers's,  were  led  through  the  oaks  just  east 
of  the  Sudley-Brentsville  Road,  brushing  some  of 
the  enemy  before  them,  and  taking  an  advantageous 
position  along  and  west  of  that  road,  opened  with 
much  skill  and  effect  on  bodies  of  the  enemy  that 
had  been  rallied  under  cover  of  a  strong  Federal 
brigade,  posted  on  a  plateau  in  the  southwest  angle, 
formed  by  intersection  of  the  Turnpike  with  the 
S.-B.  Road.  Among  the  troops  thus  engaged,  were 
the  Federal  regular  infantry. 

At  the  same  time,  Kemper's  Battery,  passing 
northward  by  the  S.-B.  Road,  took  position  on  the 
open  space — under  orders  ol  Colonel  Kershaw — near 
where  an  enemy's  battery  had  been  captured,  and 
was  opened  with  effective  results  upon  the  Federal 
right,  then  the  mark  also  of  Kershaw  and  Cash's 
Regiments. 

Preston's  28th  Regiment,  of  Cocke's  Brigade,  had 
by  that  time,  entered  the  same  body  of  oaks,  and  en- 
countered some  Michigan  troops,  capturing  their 
Brigade  Commander,  Col.  Wilcox. 

Another  important  accession  to  our  forces  had 
also  occurred  about  the  same  time,  3  o'clock,  P.  M. 
Brigadier  Gen.  E.  K.  Smith,  with  some  1,700 
infantry  of  Elzey's  Brigade,  of  the  Army  of  the 
Shenandoah,  and  Beckham's  Battery,  came  upon  the 


138 

field,  from  Camp  Pickens,  Manassas,  -where  tliey  liad 
arrived  by  railroad  at  noon.  Directed  in  person 
b}-  Gen.  Johnston,  to  the  left,  tlien  so  much  endan- 
gered, on  reaching  a  position  in  rear  of  the  oak 
Avoods,  south  of  the  Henry  House,  and  immediately 
east  of  the  Sudlcy  Koad,  Gen.  Smith  -was  disabled 
by  a  severe  -wound,  and  his  valuable  services  -were 
lost  at  that  critical  juncture.  But  the  command  de- 
volved upon  a  meritorious  officer  of  experience — 
Col.  Elzc}^ — vrho  led  his  infantry  at  once  somevdnit 
further  to  the  left,  in  the  direction  of  tlie  Chinn 
House,  across  the  road,  through  the  oaks  skirting 
tlie  Avcst  side  of  the  road,  and  around  Avhich  lie  ^ent 
the  battery  under  Lieut.  l>eckham.  This  officer 
took  up  a  most  favorable  position  near  that  liouse, 
-whence,  vrith  a  clear  view  of  the  Federal  right  and 
centre,  filling  the  open  fields  to  the  v/est  of  the 
]>rentsville-Sudley  Road,  and  gently  sl0|)ing  south- 
-ward,  he  opened  lire  vfith  his  battery  upon  them  with 
deadly  and  damaging  effect. 

Col.  Early,  -who,  by  some  misc:i:inco,  did  not  rc- 
cei\e  orders  until  2  o'clock,  whicli  ikui  been  sent  him 
at  noon,  came  on  tlie  ground  iiiniiedjately  after  El- 
zey,  Avitli  Kemper's  7tii  A'irginia,  Hays's  7th  Louis- 
inn;),  and  Larksdale's  lotli  2\iissisr_qp])i  regiments. 
This  Brigade,  by  t1ie  personal  dii'ect'on  of  Gen'eral 
Johnstoii,  -was  marclied  by  the  Holkhaiu  House, 
across  the  fields  to  the  left,  entirely  around  the 
VN-oods  through  -which  Elzey  Imd  passed,  and  under 
a  severe  fire,  into  a  position  in  line  of  ])attlc  near 
Chinn's  House,  outflanking  tlie  enemy's  right. 

At  this  tnue,  about  3.3!),  \\  M.,  tlie  enemy  driven 
back  on  tlieir  left  and  centre,  and  brushed  from  the 
woods  bordering  the  Sudley  Road,  south  and  west  of 
the  Henry  House,  had   formed    a    line  of  battle   of 


139 

truly  formidable  proportions,  of  crescent  outline, 
reaching  on  their  left,  from  vicinity  of  Pittsylvania, 
(the  old  Carter  Mansion),  by  Matthew's  and  in  rear 
of  Dogan's,  across  the  Turnpike  near  to  Chinn's 
House.  The  woods  and  fields  were  filled  with  their 
masses  of  infantry  and  their  carefully  preserved  cav- 
alry. It  was  a  truly  magnificent,  though  redoubt- 
able spectacle,  as  they  threw  forward  in  fine  style, 
on  ihe  broad  gentle  slopes  of  the  ridge  occupied  by 
their  main  lines,  a  cloud  of  skirmishers,  preparatory 
for  another  attack. 

But  as  Early  formed  his  line,  and  Beckham's 
pieces  played  upon  the  right  of  the  enemy,  Elzey's 
Brigade,  Gibbon's  liith  Virginia,  Lieut.  Colonel 
Stuart's  1st  ^Maryland,  and  Vaughnn's  3d  Tennessee 
Regiments,  and  Cash',;  Sth  and  Kershaw's  2d  South 
Carolina,  Withers's  18th  and  Preston's  2Sth  Vir- 
ginia, advanced  in  an  irregular  line^  almost  simul- 
taneously, with  gi'cat  spirit  from  their  several  po- 
sitions, upon  the  front  and  fhmks  of  the  enemy,  in 
tlieir  quarter  of  the  field.  At  the  same  time,  too, 
Early  resolutely  assailed  their  right  flank  and  rear. 
Under  this  combined  attack,  the  enemy  was  soon 
forced,  first  over  the  narrow  jdateau  in  the  southern 
angle  made  by  the  two  roads  so  often  mentioned, 
into  a  patcli  of  Avoods  on  its  Avestern  slope,  thence 
back  over  Young's  Branch  and  the  Turnpike,  into 
the  fields  of  the  Dogan  Fai-m,  and  rearward  in  ex- 
treme disorder,  in  all  available  directions,  towards 
]]ull  Ilun.  The  rout  had  now  become  general  and 
complete. 

About  the  time  that  Elzey  and  Early  Avere  enter- 
ing into  action,  a  column  of  the  enemy,  Keyes's 
Brigade  of  Tyler's  Division,  made  its  Avay  across  the 
Turnpike  botwoou  Bull  Ilun  and  the  Robinson  House, 


140 

under  cover  of  a  wood  and  brow  of  the  ridges,  ap- 
parently to  turn  my  riglit,  but  was  easily  repulsed 
by  a  few  shots  from  Latham's  Battery,  now  united 
and  placed  in  position  by  Captain  D.  JB.  Harris,  of 
the  Virginia  Engineers,  whose  services  during  the 
day  became  his  character  as  an  able,  cool  and  skill- 
ful officer ;  and  from  Alburtis's  Battery,  opportune- 
ly ordered,  by  General  Jackson,  to  a  position  to  the 
right  of  Latham,  on  a  hill  commanding  the  line  of 
approach  of  the  enemy,  and  supported  by  portions 
of  regiments  collected  together  by  the  Staff  Officers 
of  General  Johnston  and  m^^self. 

Early's  Brigade,  meanwhile,  joined  by  the  19th 
Viro^inia  Res-iment,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Strano;e,  of 
Cocke's  Brigade,  pursued  the  now  panic-stricken, 
fugitive  enemy.  Stuart,  with  his  cavalry,  and  Beck- 
ham, had  also  taken  up  the  pursuit  along  the  road 
by  which  the  enemy  had  come  upon  the  field  that 
morning;  but  soon,  cumbered  by  prisoners  who 
thronged  his  way,  the  former  was  unable  to  attack 
the  mass  of  the  fast-fleeing,  frantic  Federalists. 
Withers's,  R.  T.  Preston's,  Cash's  and  Kershaw's 
Regiments,  Hampton's  Legion  and  Kemper's  Batte- 
ry also  pursued  along  the  Warrenton  road  by  the 
Stone  Bridge,  the  enemy  having  opportunely  opened 
a  way  for  them  through  the  heavy  abatis  which  my 
troops  had  made  on  the  west  side  of  the  bridge  seve- 
ral days  before.  But  this  pursuit  was  soon  recalled, 
in  consequence  of  a  false  report  which  unfortunate- 
ly reached  us,  that  the  enemy's  reserves,  known  to 
be  fresh  and  of  considerable  strength,  were  threat- 
ening the  position   of  Union  Mills  Ford.        ^ 

Colonel  Radford,  with  six  companies  Virginia  cav- 
alry, was  also  ordered  by  General  Johnston  to  cross 
Bull  Run  and  attack  the  enemy  from  the  direction  of 


141 

Lewis's  House  ;  conducted  by  one  of  my  Aids,  Colo- 
ifcl  Chisholm,  by  the  Lewis  Ford,  to  the  immediate 
vicinity  of  the  Suspension  Bridge,  he  charged  a  bat- 
tery with  great  gallantry,  took  Colonel  Corcoran,  of 
the  69th  regiment  New  York  Volunteers,  a  prisoner, 
and  captured  the  Federal  colors  of  that  regiment, 
as  well  as  a  number  of  the  enemy.  He  lost,  how- 
ever, a  promising  officer  of  his  regiment.  Captain 
Winston  Radford. 

Lieutenant-Colonel  Munford  also  led  some  com- 
panies of  cavalry  in  hot  pursuit,  and  rendered  ma- 
terial service  in  the  capture  of  prisoners  and  of 
cannon,  liorses,  ammunition,  &c.,  abandoned  by  the 
enemy  in  their  flight. 

Captain  Lay's  company  of  the  Powhatan  troops, 
and  Utterback's  Rangers,  Virginia  volunteers,  at- 
tached to  my  person,  did  material  service,  under  Cap- 
tain Lay,  in  rallying  troops  broken  for  the  time 
by  the  onset  of  the  enemy's  masses. 

During  the  period  of  the  momentous  events  fraught 
with  the  weal  of  our  country,  which  were  passing 
on  the  blood-stained  plateau  along  the  Sudley  and 
Warrenton  Roads,  other  portions  of  the  line  of  Bull 
Run  had  not  been  void  of  action  of  moment  and  of 
influence  upon  the  general  result. 

While  Colonel  Evans  and  his  sturd}"  band  were 
holding  at  bay  the  Federal  advance  beyond  the 
Turnpike,  the  enemy  made  repeated  demonstrations, 
with  artillery  and  infantry,  upon  the  line  of  Cocke's 
Brigade,  with  the  serious  intention  of  forcing  the 
position,  as  General  Schenck  admits  in  his  report. 
They  were  driven  back  with  severe  loss  by  Latham's 
(a  section)  and  Rjgers's  four  six-pounders,  and  were 
so  impressed  with  the  strength  of  that  line  as  to  be 
held  in  check  and  inactive,  even  after  it  had  been 


142 

stripped  of  all  its  troops  but  one  company  of  the 
19th  Virginia  Kegimcnt,  under  Captain  Duke,  sf 
meritorious  officer.  And  it  is  worthy  of  notice  that, 
in  this  encounter  of  our  six-pounder  guns,  handled 
Ly  our  volunteer  artillerists,  they  had  worsted  such 
a  notorious  adversary  as  the  Ayres's — formerly  Sher- 
man's— Battery,  which  quit  the  contest  under  the 
illusion  that  it  had  weightier  metal  than  its  own  to 
contend  with. 

The  centre  Brigades — Bonham's  and  Longstreet's — 
of  the  line  of  Bull  Bun,  if  not  closely  engaged,  were 
nevertheless  exposed  for  mucli  of  the  day  to  an  an- 
no^dng,  almost  incessant  fire  of  artillery  of  long 
range  ;  hut,  by  a  steady,  veteran-like  maintenance 
of  their  positions,  they  held,  virtually  paralyzed  all 
day,  two  strong  brigades  of  the  enemy,  with  their 
batteries  (four)  of  rifle  guns. 

As  before  said,  two  regiments  of  Bonham's  Bri- 
gade, 2nd  and  8th  South  Carolina  volunteers,  and 
Kemper's  Battery,  took  a  distinguished  part  in  the 
battle.  The  remainder,  3rd  Williams's.  7th  Bacon's 
South  Carolina  volunteers  ;  1 1  th  (Kirkland's)  North 
Carolina  Regiment;  six  companies  8th  Louisiana 
volunteers;  Shield's  Battery,  and  one  section  of 
Walton's  Battery  under  Lieutentant  Garnett,  wliether 
in  holding  their  post  or  taking  up  the  pursuit,  offi- 
cers and  men,  discharged  their  duty  with  credit  and 
promise. 

Longstreot's  Brigade,  })ursuant  to  orders  prescrib- 
ing his  part  of  the  operations  of  the  centre  and 
right  wing,  was  thrown  across  Bull  Bun  early  in  the 
morning,  and  under  a  severe  fire  of  artillery,  was 
skillfully  disposed  for  the  assault  of  the  enemy's  bat- 
teries in  that  quarter,  but  were  withdrawn  subse- 
quently, in  consequence  of  the  change  of  plan  already 


113 

irientloDOfl  and  explained.  Tlio  troops  of  this  brigade 
Averc,  1st,  Major  Skinner;  llth,  GarLnurs ;  24tli, 
Lientcnant-Colonel  Hairston  ;  17th,  Corse,  Virginia 
Kcgiments;  otli  North  Carolina,  Lieutenanc-Coloncl 
Jones,  and  Whitehead's  company  A^irijinia  cavalr}*. 
Thronghout  the  day  these  troops  evinced  the  most 
soldierly  spirit. 

After  the  rout,  having  Leon  ordered  1)V  General 
Johnston  in  the  direction  of  Centreville  in  pursuit, 
these  brigades  advanced  near  to  that  place,  uhen 
night  and  darkness  intervening.  General  ]]onhani 
thought  it  proper  to  direct  his  own  brigade  and  tlint 
of  General  Longstreet  back  to  Bull  Run. 

General  D.  11.  Jones  early  in  tlie  day  crossing 
13ull  Run  -with  his  l-rigade,  pursuant  to  orders,  indi- 
cating his  part  in  the  projected  attack  by  our  right 
wing  and  centre  on  the  enemy  at  Centreville,  took 
up  a  ])Osition  on  the  Union  Mills  and  Centreville 
lioad,  more  than  a  mile  in  advance  of  tlie  Run. 
Ordered  back,  in  conse([uence  of  the  miscarriage  of 
ihe  orders  to  General  Ewell,  the  retrogade  move- 
ment was  necessarily  made  under  a  sharp  fire  of  ar- 
tillery. 

At  noon  tliis  ])i-ig;i:]e.  in  o'jv^dience  to  new  instruc- 
tions, was  again  thrown  across  Bull  Bun  to  make 
demonstrations.  Unsupported  by  other  troops,  the 
advance  was  gallantly  made  until  within  musket 
range  of  the  enemy's  force — Colonel  Davies'  Brigade, 
in  position  near  Rocky  Run,  and  under  the  concen- 
trated fire  of  their  artiller}^  In  this  affair  the  5th, 
Jenkins's  South  Carolina,  and  Captain  Fountaine's 
compiuiy  of  the  18th  Mississippi  Regiment  are 
mentioned  by  General  Jones  as  having  shown  con- 
spicuous gallantry,  coolness  and  discipline, under  a 
combined  fire  of  infantry  and  artillery.      Not  only 


144 

did  the  return  fire  of  the  brigade  drive  to  cover  the 
enemy's  infantry,  but  the  movement  unquestionably 
spread  through  the  enemy's  ranks  a  sense  of  inse- 
curity and  danger  from  an  attack  by  that  route  on 
their  rear  at  Centreville,  which  served  to  augment 
the  extraordinary  panic  which  we  kno'.v  disbanded 
the  entire  Federal  Army  for  the  time.  This  is  evi- 
dent from  the  fact  that  Colonel  Davies,  the  immedi- 
ate adversary's  commander,  in  his  official  report  was 
induced  to  magnify  one  small  company  of  our  ca- 
valry, which  accompanied  the  brigade,  into  a  force 
of  2,(}()0  men ;  and  Colonel  Miles,  the  commander 
of  the  Federal  Reserves  at  Centreville,  says  the 
movement  '*  caused  painful  apprehensions  jfor  the 
left  flank"  of  their  army. 

General  Ewell,  occupying  for  the  time  the  right 
of  the  lines  of  Bull  Run  at  Union  Mills  Ford,  after 
the  miscarriage  of  my  orders  for  his  advance  upon 
Centreville,  in  the  afternoon,  was  ordered  by  General 
Johnston  to  bring  up  his  brigade  into  battle  then 
raging  on  the  left  flank.  Promptly  executed  as  this 
movement  was,  the  brigade,  after  a  severe  march, 
reached  the  field  too  late  to  share  the  glories,  as  they 
had  the  labors,  of  the  day.  As  the  important  po- 
sition at  the  Union  Mills  had  been  left  with  but  a 
slender  guard,  General  Ewell  was  at  once  ordered 
to  retrace  his  steps  and  resume  his  position  to  pre- 
vent the  possibility  of  its  seizure  by  any  force  of 
the  enemy  in  that  quarter. 

Brigadier  General  Holmes — left  with  his  brigade 
as  a  support  to  the  same  position  in  the  original  plan 
of  battle — had  also  been  called  to  the  left,  whither 
he  marched  with  the  utmost  speed,  but  not  in  time 
to  join  actively  in  the  battle. 

Walker's  rifle  guns  of  the  brigade,  however,  came 


145 

tip  in  time  to  be  fired  with  precision  and  decided 
execution  at  the  retreating  enemy,  and  Scott's  ca- 
valry, joining  in  the  pursuit,  assisted  in  the  capture 
of  prisoners  and  war  munitions. 

This  victory,  the  details  of  which  I  have  thus 
sought  to  chronicle  as  fully  as  Avere  fitting  an  official 
report,  it  remains  to  record,  w^as  dearly  won  by  the 
death  of  many  officers  and  men  of  inestimable  value, 
belonging  to  all  grades  of  our  society. 

In  the  death  of  General  Barnard  E.  Bee  the  Con- 
federacy has  sustained  an  irreparable  loss,  for  with 
great  personal  bravery  and  coolness,  he  possessed  the 
(jualities  of  an  accomplished  soldier,  and  an  able,  re- 
liable commander. 

Colonels  Bartow  and  Fisher,  and  Lieutenant 
Colonel  Johnson  of  Hampton's  Legion,  in  the  fear- 
less command  of  their  men,  gave  earnest  of  great 
usefulness  to  the  service,  had  they  been  spared  to 
complete  a  career  so  brilliantly  begun.  Besides 
the  field  officers,  already  mentioned  as  having  been 
wounded  while  in  the  gallant  discharge  of  their 
duties,  many  others  also  received  severe  wounds  after 
equally  honorable  and  distinguished  conduct,  whe- 
ther in  leading  their  men  forward,  or  in  rallying 
them,  when  overpowered  or  temporarily  shattered  by 
the  largely  superior  force,  to  which  we  were  gener- 
ally opposed. 

The  subordinate  grades  were  likewise  abundantly 
conspicuous  for  zeal  and  capacity  for  the  leadership 
of  men  in  arms.  To  mention  all,  who,  fighting  well, 
paid  the  lavish  forfeit  of  their  lives,  or  at  least  crip- 
pled, mutilated  bodies  on  the  field  of  Manassas,  can- 
not well  be  done  within  the  compass  of  this  paper, 
but  a  grateful   country  and  mourning  friends  will 


140 

not  suffer  tlicir  names  and  services  to  ho  foi'gottcn, 
and  pass  a^vaj  unlionorcd. 

IN^or  are  those  officers  and  men  ^vho  were  so  for- 
tunate as  to  escape  the  thick-flyir.g,  deadly  missiles, 
of  the  enemy,  less  worthy  of  |)raise  for  their  endur- 
ance, firmness  and  valor  than  their  brothers-in-arms, 
whose  lives  were  closed,  or  bodies  maimed,  on  that 
memorable  day.  To  mention  all  who  exhibited 
n.bility  and  brilliant  courage,  were  impossible  in  this 
report;  nor  do  the  reports  of  Brigade  and  other  sub- 
ordinate commanders,  supply  full' lists  of  all  ac- 
tually deserving  of  distinction.  I  can  ouly  men- 
tion those  whose  conduct  came  immediately  under 
m}^  notice,  or  the  consequence  of  whose  actions  hap- 
pened to  be  signally  important. 

It  is  fit  that  I  should,  in  this  wa}^,  commend  to 
notice  the  dauntless  conduct  and  imperturbable  cool- 
ness of  Col.  Evans  ;  and  well  indeed  was  he  supported 
by  Col.  Sloan  and  the  officers  of  the  Fourth  South 
Carolina  Regiment,  as  also,  Major  Wheat,  than 
whom,  no  oue  displayed  more  brilliant  courage  until 
carried  from  the  field,  shot  tlirough  tlie  lungs ; 
though  happil}^  not  mortally  stricken.  But  in  the 
desperately  unequal  contest,  to  which  those  brave 
gentlemen  were,  for  a  time,  uecessarily  exposed,  the 
behavior  of  officers  and  men  generadly,  was  worthy 
of  the  higliest  admiration  ;  and  assuredly,  hereafter, 
all  there  present,  may  proudly  say :  We  were  of 
that  band  who  fought  the  first  hour  of  the  battle  of 
Manassas.  Equal  honors  and  credit  must  also  be 
aAvarded  in  the  pages  of  history,  to  the  gallant  offi- 
cers and  men,  who,  under  Bee  and  Bartow,  subse- 
quently marching  to  their  side,  saved  them  from  de- 
struction, and  relieved  them  from  the  brunt  of  the 
enemy's  attack. 


147 

The  conduct  of  Gen.  Jackson  also  requires  men- 
tion as  eminently  that  of  an  able,  fearless  soldier, 
and  sagacious  commander,  one  fit  to  lead  his  efficient 
brigade :  his  prompt,  timely  arrival  before  the  pla- 
teau of  the  Henry  House,  and  his  judicious  dispo- 
sition of  his  troops  contributed  much  to  the  success 
of  the  day.  Although  painfully  wounded  in  the 
hand,  he  remained  on  the  field  to  the  end  of  the  bat- 
tle, rendering  invaluable  assistance. 

Col.  Wm.  Smith  was  as  efficient,  as  self-posses- 
sed and  brave  ;  the  influence  of  his  example  and  his 
words  of  encouragement  was  not  confined  to  his  im- 
mediate command,  the  good  conduct  of  which  is 
especially  noticeable,  inasmuch  as  it  had  been  em- 
bodied but  a  day  or  two  before  the  battle. 

Colonels  Harper,  Hunton  and  Hampton,  com- 
manding regiments  of  the  reserve,  attracted  my 
notice,  by  their  soldierly  ability,  as  witli  their  gal- 
lant commands,  they  restored  the  fortunes  of  the 
day,  at  a  time  when  the  enemy,  by  a  last  desperate 
onset,  with  heavy  odds,  had  driven  our  forces  from 
the  fiercely  contested  ground  around  tli-c  Henry  and 
Robinson  Houses.  Veterans  could  not  have  be- 
haved better  than  these  well  led  regiments. 

High  praise  must  also  be  given  to  Colonels  Cocke, 
Early  and  Elzey,  Brigade  Commanders  ;  also,  to  Col. 
Kershaw,  commanding,  for  the  time,  the  Second  and 
Eighth  South  Carolina  Regiments.  Under  the  in- 
structions of  General  Johnston,  these  officers  reach- 
ed the  field  at  an  opportune,  critical  moment,  and 
disposed,  handled  and  fought  their  respective  com- 
mands, with  sagacity,  decision  and  successful  results, 
which  have  been  described  in  detail. 

Col.  J.  E.  B.  Stuart  likewise  deserves  mention, 
for  his  enterprise  and  ability  as  a  cavalry  commander. 


148 

Through  his  judicious  reconnoisance  of  the  country 
on  our  left  flank,  ho  acquired  information,  both  of 
topographical  features  and  the  positions  of  the  ene- 
ni}^,  of  the  utmost  importance  in  the  subsequent  and 
closing  movements  of  the  day  on  that  flank,  and  his 
services  in  the  pursuit,  were  highly  efi'ective. 

Capt,  E.  P.  Alexander,  C.  S.  Engineers,  gave  me 
seasonable  and  material  assistance  early  in  the  day, 
with  his  system  of  signals.  Almost  the  first  shot 
fired  by  the  enemy  passed  through  the  tent  of  his 
party  at  the  Stone  Bridge,  where  they  subsequently 
firmly  maintained  their  position  in  the  discharge  of 
their  duty — the  transmission  of  messages  of  the  ene- 
my's movements — for  several  hours  under  fire. 
Later,  Captain  Alexander  acted  as  my  Aid-de-Camp, 
in  the  transmission  of  orders,  and  in  observation  of 
the  enemy. 

I  was  most  efficiently  served  throughout  the  day 
by  my  Volunteer  Aids,  Colonels  Preston,  Manning, 
Chesnut,  Miles,  Rice,  Heyward  and  Chisholm,  to 
whom  I  tender  my  thanks  for  their  unflagging,  intel- 
ligent and  fearless  discharge  of  the  laborious,  respon- 
sible duties  entrusted  to  them.  To  Lieut.  S.  W. 
Ferguson,  A.  D.  C,  and  Col.  Heyward,  who  were 
habitually  at  my  side,  from  12  noon  until  the  close 
of  the  battle  ;  my  special  acknowledgments  are  due. 
The  horse  of  the  former  was  killed  under  him  by  the 
same  shell  that  wounded  that  of  the  latter.  Both 
were  eminently  useful  to  me,  and  were  distinguish- 
ed for  coolness  and  courage,  until  the  enemy  gave 
way  and  fled  in  wild  disorder  in  every  direction — 
a  scene  the  President  of  the  Confederacy  had  the 
high  satisfaction  of  witnessing,  as  he  arrived  upon 
the  field  at  that  exultant  moment. 

I  also  received,  from  the  time  I  reached  the  front, 


149 

such  signal  service  from  H.  E.  Peyton,  at  the  time 
a  private  in  the  Loudoun  cavalry,  that  I  have  called 
him  to  my  personal  staff.  Similar  services  were  also 
rendered  me,  repeatedly  during  the  battle,  by  T.  J. 
Randolph,  a  Volunteer  Acting  A.  D.  C.  to  Colonel 
Cocke. 

Captain  Clifton  11.  Smith,  of  the  General  Staff, 
was  also  present  on  the  field,  and  rendered  efficient 
service   in   the  transmission  of  orders. 

It  must  be  permitted  me  here,  to  record  my  pro- 
found sense  of  my  obligations  to  General  Johnston, 
for  his  generous  permission  to  carry  out  my  plans, 
with  such  modifications  as  circumstances  Lad  re- 
quired. From  his  services  on  the  field,  as  we  enter- 
ed it  together,  already  mentioned,  and  his  subse- 
quent watchful  management  of  the  reinforcements  as 
they  reached  the  vicinity  of  the  field,  our  country- 
men may  draw  the  most  auspicious  auguries. 

To  Colonel  Thomas  Jordan,  my  efficient  and  zeal- 
ous Assistant  Adjutant-General,  much  credit  is  due 
for  his  able  assistance  in  the  organization  of  the 
forces  under  my  command  and  for  the  intelligence 
and  promptness  with  which  he  has  discharged  all  the 
laborious   and   important  duties  of  his  office. 

Valuable  assistance  was  given  to  me  by  Major 
Cabell,  chief  officer  of  the  Quartermaster's  Depart- 
ment, in  the  sphere  of  his  duties-r-duties  environed 
by  far  more  than  the  ordinary  difficulties  and  embar- 
rassments attending  the  operations  of  a  long  organ- 
ized, regular  establishment. 

Colonel  R.  B.  Lee,  Chief  of  Subsistence  Depart- 
ment, had  but  just  entered  upon  his  duties,  but  his 
experience,  and  long  and  varied  services  in  his  de- 
partment, made  him  as  efficient  as  possible. 

Captain  W.  II.  Fowle,  whom  Colonel  Lee  had  re- 


15J 


lieved,  had  previously  exerted  himself  to  the  utmost 
to  carry  out  ordors  from  these  headquarters,  to  ren- 
der his  department  equal  to  the  demands  of  the  ser- 
vice;  that  it  ^vas  not  entirely  so,  it  is  due  to  justice 
to  say,  was  certainly  not  his  fault. 

Deprived,  by  the  sudden  severe  illness,  of  the 
Medical  Director,  Surgeon  Thomas  11.  Williams,  his 
duties  were  discharged  by  Surgeon  R.  L.  Brodie,  to 
my  entire  satisfaction ;  and  it  is  proper  to  say,  that 
the  entire  medical  corps  of  the  army  at  ])rcsont,  em- 
bracing gentlemen  of  distinction  in  the  profession, 
vho  had  quit  lucrative  private  practice,  by  their  ser- 
vices in  the  field  and  subscnuentlv,  did  hiiih  honor 
to  their  profession. 

The  vital  duties  of  the  Ordinance  Department  were 
effectively  discharged  under  the  administration  of 
my  Chief  of  Artillery  and  Ordnance,  Colonel  Samuel 
Jones. 

At  one  time,  when  reports  of  evil  omen  and  dis- 
aster reached  Camp  Pickens,  with  such  circumstan- 
tiality as  to  give  reasona1)le  grounds  of  anxiety,  its 
commander,  Colonel  Terrett,  the  commander  of  the 
entrenched  batteries,  Captain  Stcrrott,  of  the  Con- 
federate States  Navy,  and  their  officers,  made  the 
most  efficient  possible  preparations  for  the  desperate 
defence  of  that  position  in  extremity;  and  in  this 
connection,  I  regret  n'ly  Intibility  to  mention  the 
names  of  those  patriotic  gentlemen  of  Virginia,  by 
the  gratuitous  labor  of  whose  slaves  the  entrenched 
camp  at  i\Ianassas  had  been  mainly  constructed,  re- 
lieving the  troops  from  that  laborious  service,  and 
giving  opportunity  for  their  military  instruction. 

Lieutenant-Colonel  Thomas  II.  Williamson,  the 
Engineer  of  these  vforks,  assisted  by  Captain  D.  B. 


151 

Harris,  discharged  his  duties   with   untiring   energy 
and  devotion,  as  Avell  as  satisfactory  skill. 

Captain  W.  11.  Stevens,  Engineer  Confederate 
States  Army,  served  with  the  advanced  forces  at 
Fairfax  Court-House  for  some  time  before  tlie  battle  ; 
he  laid  out  the  works  there,  in  admirable  accordance 
•with  tlic  purposes  for  which  they  were  designed,  and 
yet  so  as  to  admit  of  ultimate  extension  and  adap- 
tation to  more  serious  uses  as  means  and  part  of  a 
system  of  real  defence  when  determined  upon.  Pic 
has  sho\Yn  himself  to  be  an  officer  of  cnergv  and  abil- 

Major  Thomas  G.  llhctt,  after  having  discharged 
for  several  months  the  laborious  duties  of  Adjutant- 
General  to  the  commanding  officer  of  Camp  Pickens, 
was  detached  to  join  tlie  Array  of  the  Shenandoah, 
just  on  the  eve  of  tlie  advance  of  the  enemy,  but  vol- 
unteering his  services,  was  ordered  to  assist  on  the 
Staff  of  vjieneral  Bonham,  joining  that  officer  at  Cen- 
treville  on  the  night  of  the  17th,  before  the  battle 
of  Bull  Plun,  where  he  rendered  valuable  services, 
until  the  arrival  of  General  Johnston,  on  tlic  2nth 
ol  July,  wlicn  he  was  called  to  the  place  of  Chief  of 
Staff  of  that  office!-. 

It  is  also  proper  to  acknowledge  the  si;jfnal  ser- 
vices rendered  by  Colonel  B.  F.  Terry  and  T.  Lub- 
bock, of  Texas,  who  lia:!  attached  themselves  to  the 
staff  of  General  Longstrcet.  These  gentlemen  made 
daring  and  valuable  rcconnoisances  of  the  enemy's 
positions,  assisted  by  Captains  Goree  and  Chichester  ; 
they  also  carried  orders  in  the  field,  and  on  the  fol- 
lowing day,  accompan^nng  Captain  Whitehead'^s 
troop  to  take  possession  of  Fairfax  Court-llouse, 
Colonel  Terry,  Avith  his  unerring  rifle,  severed  the 
halliard,  and    tlius  lowered  the  Federal  flan;  found 


152 

still  floating  from  the  cupola  of  the  Court-House 
there.  He  also  secured  a  large  Federal  garrison 
flag,  designed,  it  is  said,  to  be  unfurled  over  our 
entrenchments  at  Manassas. 

In  connection  with  the  unfortunate  casualty  of  the 
day — that  is,  the  miscarriage  of  the  orders  sent  by 
courier  to  Generals  Holmes  and  Ewell  to  attack  the 
enemy  in  flank  and  reverse  at  Centreville,  through 
which  the  triumph  of  our  arms  was  prevented  from 
being  still  more  decisive,  I  regard  it  in  place  to  say, 
a  divisional  organization,  with  officers  in  command 
of  divisions, ^Avith  appropriate  rank,  as  in  European 
services,  would  greatly  reduce  the  risk  of  such  mis- 
haps, and  would  advantageously  simplify  the  commu- 
nications of  a  General  in  command  of  a  field  with 
his  troops. 

While  glorious  for  our  people,  and  of  crushing 
efi'ect  upon  the  morale  of  our  hitherto  confident  and 
over-weening  adversary,  as  were  the  events  of  the 
battle  of  Manassas,  the  field  was  only  won  b}^  stout 
fighting,  and,  as  before  reported,  with  much  loss,  as 
is  precisely  exhibited  in  the  papers  herewith,  marked 
F,  G  and  H,  and  being  lists  of  the  killed  and  wound- 
ed. The  killed  outright  numbered  369 — the  wounded 
1,483,  making  an  aggregate  of  1,852. 

The  actual  loss  of  the  enemy  will  never  be  known  ; 
it  may  now  only  be  conjectured.  Their  abandoned 
dead,  as  they  were  buried  by  our  people  where  they 
fell,  unfortunately,  were  not  enumerated,  but  many 
parts  of  the  field  were  thick  with  their  corpses,  as 
but  few  battle  fields  have  ever  been.  The  official 
reports  of  the  enemy  are  expressly  silent  on  this 
point,  but  still  afford  us  data  for  an  approximate 
estimate.  Left  almost  in  the  dark,  in  respect  to  the 
losses  of  Hunter's  and  Heintzleman's  Divisions — 


153 

first,  longest  and  most  hotly  engaged — we  are  in- 
formed that  Sherman's  Brigade — Tyler's  Division — - 
sujQfcrcd,  in  killed,  wounded  and  missing,  609 — that 
is,  about  18  per  cent,  of  the  brigade.  A  regiment 
of  Franklin's  Brigade — Gorman's — lost  21  per  cent. 
Grifiin's  (battery)  loss  was  30  per  cent.,  and  that  of 
Keyes's  Brigade,  which  was  so  handled  by  its  com- 
mander, as  to  be  exposed  to  only  occasional  volleys 
from  our  troops,  Avas  at  least  10  per  cent.  To  these 
facts  add  the  repeated  references  in  the  reports  of 
the  more  reticent  commanders,  to  the  "murderous" 
fire  to  which  they  were  habitually  exposed^^the 
'^pistol  range"  volleys,  and  galling  musketry,  of 
which  they  speak,  as  scourging  their  ranks,  and  we 
are  warranted  in  placing  the  entire  loss  of  the  Fed- 
eralists, at  over  forty-five  hundred  in  killed,  wounded 
and  prisoners.  To  this  may  be  legitimately  added 
as  a  casualty  of  the  battle,  the  thousands  of  fugi- 
tives from  the  field,  who  have  never  rejoined  their 
regiments,  and  who  are  as  much  lost  to  the  enemy's 
service  as  if  slain  or  disabled  by  wounds.  These 
may  not  be  included  under  the  head  of  "  missing, " 
because,  in  every  instance  of  such  report,  we  took 
as  many  prisoners  of  those  brigades  or  regiments  as 
are  reported  ^^  missing^ 

A  list  appended  exhibits  some  1,460  of  their 
wounded  and  others,  who  fell  into  our  hands,  and 
were  sent  to  Bichmond;  some  were  sent  to  other 
points,  so  that  the  number  of  prisoners,  including 
wounded,  who  did  not  die,  may  be  set  down  as  not  less 
than  1,600.  Besides  these  a  considerable  number, 
who  could  not  be  removed  from  the  field,  died  at 
several  farm  houses  and  field  hospitals  within  ten 
days  following  the  battle. 

To  serve  the  future  historian   of  this  war,  I  will 


1 51 

note  tlie  f\\ct,  that  among  the  captured  Federalists, 
arc  officers  and  men  of  forty-seven  regiments  of 
volunteers,  besides  from  some  nine"  different  regi- 
ments of  regular  troops,  detucliments  of  which  were 
engaged.  From  their  official  reports,  ^ve  leai-n  of  a 
regiment  of  volunteers  engaged,  six  regiments  of 
J^liles's  Division,  and  the  five  regiments  of  Runyon's 
Brigade,  from  ^vhieh  avc  have  neither  sound  nor 
wounded  prisoners.  ^Making  all  allowances  for  mis- 
takes, W3  are  warranted  in  saying  that  the  Federal 
Army  consisted  of  at  least  fifty-five  regiments  of  vol- 
unteers, eight  companies  of  regular  infantry,  four  of 
marines,  nine  of  regular  cavalr^^  and  tAvelve  batic- 
rie.-,  forty-nine  guns.  These  regiments,  atone  time, 
as  will  appear  from  a  published  list  appended,  mark- 
ed "K,"  numbered  in  the  aggregate  54, 14'.  >,  and  aver- 
age DIM  each.  From  an  order  of  the  enemy's  com- 
mander, however,  dated  July  13th,  we  learn  that 
one  hundred  men  from  each  regiment  were  directed 
to  remain  in  charge  of  their  res})ective  camps — some 
allowance  must  further  be  made  for  the  sick  and 
details,  wdiich  would  reduce  the  average  to  eight 
hundred  men — adding  the  regular  cavalry,  infantry 
and  artillery  present,  an  estimate  of  their  force  may 
be  made. 

A  paper  appended,  marked  "  L, "  exhibits,  in 
part,  the  ordnance  and  supplies  captured — including 
some  twenty-eight  field  pieces  of  the  best  character 
of  arm,  with  over  one  hundred  rounds  of  ammuni- 
ttion  for  each  gun,  thirty-seven  caissons,  six  forges, 
four  battery  wagons,  sixty-four  artillery  horses, 
completely  equipped,  live  hundred  thousand  rounds 
of  small  arms  ammunition,  four  thousand  five  hun- 
dred setts  of  accoutrements,  over  five  thousand 
muskets,  some    nine    regimental  and  garrison  flags, 


with  a  large  luiuibcr  of  pistols,  kiiap.iacks,  swords, 
canteens,  blankets ;  a  larire  store  of  axes  and  en- 
trenching tools,  wagons,  ambulances,  horses,  camp 
and  garrison  cqiiip:ige,  luspital  stores,  and  some 
subsistence. 

Added  to  these  results,  may  rightly  be  noticed 
here,  that  l)y  this  battle  an  invading  army,  superbly 
e([uipped,  vrithin  twenty  miles  of  their  base  of  opcra- 
.tions,  has  l)een  converted  into  one  virtually  besieged, 
and  exclusively  occupied  for  months  in  the  con- 
struction cf  a  ^^tupendous  series  of  fortifications  for 
the  piot:ction  of  its  own  Capitol. 

I  beg  to  call  attention  to  the  reports  of  the  several 
subordinate  commanders  for  reference  to  the  signal 
parts  played  by  individuals  of  their  respective  com- 
r.innds.  Contradictory  statements,  found  in  these 
reports,  should  not  excite  surprise,  when  we  remem- 
ber how  diilicult,  if  not  impossible,  it  is  to  reconcile 
tlie  narrations  of  by-stau'lerg  or  participants  in  even 
ihe  ijir.st  iiicon.-tiderable  affair,  much  ]e;^s  the  shift- 
msi:,  thrillinir  scenes  of  a  battle  field. 

Accompanying  are  maps  showing  the  positions  of 
the  armi  s  on  the  morning  of  the  21st  July,  and  of 
three  several  stages  of  the  battle  ;  also,  of  the  lino 
of  Bull  Run  noi'tii  of  ]]lackliuru\s  Ford.  These 
maps,  from  actual  surveys  nrade  l)y  Captain  \).  B. 
Harris,  assisted  by  ]\Ir.  John  Grant,  were  drawn  b}'- 
the  latter  with  a  rare  accuracy  worthy  of  high  com- 
mendation. 

In  conclusion,  it  is  proper,  and  doubtless  expected, 
that  through  this  report  my  countrymen  should  bo 
made  acquainted  with  some  of  the  sufficient  causes 
that  ])revented  the  advance  of  our  forces  and  pro- 
longed, vigorous  pursuit  of  the  enemy  to  and  be- 
yond tlic  i'o'iomac.      The  Vt'ar  DcparLUient  has  been 


156 

fully  advised  long  since  of  all  of  those  causes,  some 
of  which  only  are  proper  to  be  here  communicated. 
An  army,  "svhich  had  fought  as  ours  on  that  day, 
against  uncommon  odds,  under  a  July  sun,  most  of 
the  time  -without  water  and  without  food,  except  a 
hastily  snatched,  scanty  meal  at  dawn,  was  not  in 
condition  for  the  toil  of  an  eager,  effective  pursuit 
of  an  enemy  immediately  after  the  battle. 

On  the  following  day  an  unusually  heavy  and  un- 
intermitting  fall  ot  rain  intervened  to  obstruct  our 
advance,  with  reasonable  prospect  of  fruitful  results. 
Added  to  this,  the  want  of  a  cavalry  force,  of  suffi- 
cient numbers,  made  an  efficient  pursuit  a,  military 
impossibility. 

Respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 
G.  T.  BEAUREGARD, 

General  Commanding. 

To  General  S.  Cooper,  Adjutant  and  Inspector  Gen^ 
eral,  Richmond,  Fa. 

(Official.)  R.   H.   Chilton, 

Adjutant, 


ERRATA. 

Page  12— In  regard  to  the  cause  which  produced  a  junc- 
tion of  the  command  of  General  Johnston  with  that 
of  General  Beauregard,  it  is  deemed  necessary  to  add 
that  the  order  of  the  former  was  discretionary,  and 
amounted  simply  to  permission  to  take  this  step,  if,  in 
his  judgment,  it  should  be  necessary; 

Page  29 — Instead  of  General  8mith  having  arrived  from 
the  cars,  it  should  be  stated  that  General  Smith  ar- 
rived from  Manassas,  in  command  of  Elzey's  Brigade. 
General  Smith  was  wounded  while  placing  his  Bri- 
gade in  position,  when  the  command  devolved  upon 
Colonel  Elzey. 

Pages  30  and  60 — Elzey's  Brigade  was  composed  of  the 
10th  Virginia  Regiment,  Colonel  S.  B.  Gibbons,  the 
1st  ]Maryland,  Colonel  Elzey,  and  3d  Tennessee,  Colo- 
nel Yaughan. 

Pages  30  and  61— Early's  Brigade  ;  instead  of  "  24th  Vir- 
ginia Regiment,  Colonel  Early,"  read  the  "  13th  Mis- 
sissippi Regimen  ti" 

Page  73 — Fifth  line  from  the  bottom,  instead  of  "  wound- 
ed," read  "mouutech'^ 

Page  78 — Ninth  line  from  bottom  of  page,  read  "In  silence 
long  to  rest,"  instead  of  "The  spirit  was  released." 

The  8th  Georgia  Regiment  was  not  engaged  with  the  en- 
emy in  the  afternoon,  or  at  the  Henry  House,  as  stated 
in  this  book. 


Cop3^-rigUt  secured  according  to  law. 


A. 


